The Return
by shadowglove
Summary: When Clark comes back from his years-training with Jor El he finds everything he knew changed. His father Jonathan married Lana and they have children together, and while that hurts and confuses him, what confuses him more is the fact that when he mistakenly thought their mother was Chloe, he'd definitely been more peed off. Can he get used to the changes since he's returned?
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: Don't own Smallville**

So, this is me trying to finish an old series I hadn't even remembered I'd written. This story takes place after the (Chloe-Meddles-In-) Lanathan Trilogy (which comprises of Taking Chances, Moral Support & Breaking Tradition) and its Chlurry Spinoff (Sunset, New Beginning & Moving On). This story will finally have Clark return, and the **Chlark** begin.

Despite that, this **can be read as a standalone** as long as you know that ( ** _SPOILERS_** ):

1) When Clark turned back time to save Lana, it ended up killing Martha, not Jonathan.

2) Lana and Jonathan are married and have twin sons, four year old Lewis and Jon. (All thanks to a meddling Chloe).

3) Lois and Oliver are married and have a son, three ½ year old Connor.

4) Chloe was married to Arthur Curry, who died during a mission involving 33.1. She is pregnant with his son, Arthur Curry Jr.

* * *

 **PART ONE**

Clark Kent had been training for years. He wasn't even sure _how_ many they'd been – time moved differently in the Caves – but he knew that it'd been more than two, maybe three, maybe more. By the time his Kryptonian training ended he felt more like Kal than Clark sometimes, but he was still Clark enough to want to see his father, to see Chloe, to see Lana, to see his friends. He knew that time had passed on their end and that they weren't just sitting down waiting for him. It was why he was nervous as he made his way towards the farm.

Who knew what sort of changes awaited him once he got back to those he loved? People could've moved away. Could've died. Could've gotten married. Could've turned evil. There were just too many variables going on and not knowing made him a little ill at his stomach.

It was why he held back and watched the farm. For all he knew something might've happened and it mightn't even belong to his father anymore. There were signs that proved things had changed. The house had been renovated, had been enlarged. There were definitely more rooms in it now. Maybe another family had bought the farm.

But then Jonathan Kent emerged from the barn and stood in the sunlight, hands on his back as he stretched. He looked exactly like Clark remembered except there were traces of silver in his hair.

"DADDY!" A young voice shrilled in the air as a boy, around four years old, raced out, behind him an identical boy. The only difference was the fact that one had dark hair, and the other's hair color matched Jonathan's. "DADDY! JON'S BEING MEAN!"

"HE'S LYING!" Jon declared as both boys threw themselves at Jonathan. "Lewis is a mean doodoo head!"

" _Boys_." Jonathan Kent raised an eyebrow at them. "Why can't you get along? And don't let your mother hear you say that sort of stuff! _I'll_ be the one to get in trouble you know."

Clark was floored and leaned against a tree in the forest surrounding the Kent farmland. His father had remarried and had had sons. A part of him understood and the other felt replaced.

"Jonathan!" A familiar voice called out. "Are the boys with you?"

Clark's heart sped rapidly in his chest and he nearly stepped out into the sunlight. He hadn't expected to see her, not here, not now. He'd thought about her, thought about her _so much_ during his time training. He'd wondered what she was doing, how she was doing, and if she forgotten all about him. He'd known she wouldn't, and yet the worry had persisted.

And then… And then Clark's world came to a screeching halt as she appeared.

Even from this distance Chloe Sullivan was very pregnant, and the engagement/wedding bands on her finger sparkled in the sunlight. Her engagement ring was an impressive pearl, different from what was usual, but it fit her.

"Yeah, they're here, Chlo." Jonathan called out with a familiar ease that shocked Clark. Sure, his father had known Chloe from the time she was young, and liked her, but there hadn't been this… something… about them before.

She smiled as she reached them and the boys flung themselves at her, telling her that the other was being "mean". She looked down at the boys, an air of authority in her. "Don't think I don't know what this is _really_ about." The boys looked terrified. "Now go inside and clean your rooms."

Both boys looked like they were about to protest but saw her expression and sighed in unison: "Yes ma'am." And with that they trudged back into the house.

Chloe watched them go with a snicker on her face. "I rock at this mom thing."

Jonathan laughed and placed a hand on her shoulder. "You do."

She looked up at him and smiled.

Clark looked from his father's wedding band to Chloe's and then took a step back. Wait. There was no way-right? His father and _Chloe_ couldn't possibly-right?!

Something inside of him shifted and he could only barely lift his gaze in time for red hot lines to shoot out of his sky into the air and evaporate a cloud within seconds. Clark closed his eyes and took in deep breaths. What-what had just _happened_ to him?

He finally opened his eyes once more and turned towards the couple. They were gazing up at the air where his laser vision had manifested. They then shared looks and Chloe hurried off (as fast as she could in her state) towards the house while his father cupped his hands around his mouth and yelled out: "CLARK?"

Clark knew that he needed to show himself but he was uneasy. So many things had changed. So many things he hadn't even expected. He-he wanted to be happy for his father-but was surprised that he really couldn't. He was pissed off. Kal was showing his ugly head and hissing that Jonathan had had no right to lay a _finger_ on Chloe.

Still, he bit back his initial reaction. Definitely more than three years had gone by. Probably closer to five or six. A lot could've happened in five years. He owed it to his father to hear him out. His mother was dead because Clark hadn't been able to live with the thought of Lana dead. It was his own selfish actions which had ultimately caused his mother to die so that the balance could be maintained. His father hadn't blamed him, hadn't hated him, but despite that Clark had lived all this time with the guilt that he'd taken away his father's wife.

Maybe this was karmic justice.

Taking in a deep breath, Clark superspeeded so that he stood in front of Jonathan Kent. "Hi, dad."

Jonathan didn't hesitate, his embraced Clark tightly, his voice shaking and heavy with unshed tears as he said: "Welcome home, son."

Clark hugged his father back tightly, making sure not to do so too tightly and actually hurt the man. Tears swelled up in his eyes but he kept them back as he enjoyed being home again. "I see a lot's changed since I left."

Jonathan tensed before he suddenly pulled away. "I love you son, we both do. We never wanted to hurt you. Please understand that we fought it. We did." There was obvious guilt and pain in Jonathan's expression as he spoke. "But I love her so much, and when you were gone we both missed you and, without us even realizing it, we fell in love."

Clark couldn't look at his father in the face. Not while he was telling him how in love with was with Chloe and how happy they were together. Something inside of him curled up and snarled, but he pushed it back. It wasn't his place. He had no right. His father had been lonely, and Clark was the reason why. He had to-he couldn't snap. He _couldn't_.

"I know that you loved her-."

Clark looked up in shock. Huh? Him? Love Chloe? Uh, sure. He had. She'd been his best friend. The only one who knew everything about him. The only one who'd always chosen him above all else. The only one who he knew he could always count on. The only one who-. Clark's throat was going dry all of a sudden and that sick feeling in his stomach increased.

"And I understand if you hate me and never want to see me again, but please, don't take it out on her or our sons. They-."

 _Our sons_. Clark closed his eyes against the very words and felt like throwing up… or hitting something… like a mountain. _Their sons_. Oh gods, he was going to be _sick_!

" _Clark_?"

Surprised at the softly spoken voice, Clark looked up to see Lana Lang. He wasn't exactly sure why she was there, but he didn't want to see her. Not right now. Not when he didn't know whether to scream or cry or punch his father. He really wanted to punch his father. And the realization made him sicker at his stomach.

Lana licked her lips and came closer. There was something different about her, but he couldn't really concentrate on it, not while this leviathan of emotions whirled within him. "We're so happy you're back, Clark. We've missed you."

He nodded wordlessly, not really looking at her and feeling like a cad for behaving this way. It wasn't Lana's fault. None of this was.

"I know you must be hurt by everything." Lana's voice was soft and a little frightened; as if she was scared he'd snap at her. "But you need to know that none of this was done with the intention to hurt you. Everyone here loves you – the boys adore you and want to get to know their Big Brother Clark." She exchanged a look with Jonathan as she went to stand next to him. "You haven't been replaced, you're not an outsider, and while I know that this is going to be hard for you to understand, to accept, I want you to know that you're loved, you were missed, and you're still every bit a part of the Kent family."

He wanted to tell her butt out. He also wanted to snap at her because she didn't seem to see anything wrong with his father seducing Chloe, sleeping with Chloe… getting Chloe pregnant. _Multiple times_.

He clenched his fists tightly.

Gods. _How_ could she not see how _wrong_ this was?

His father was a sonofabitch!

"We love you, Clark." His father placed a hand around Lana's shoulder. "We always have, always will. We know that what we did was wrong, we should've never fallen in love-."

"But we couldn't help it," Lana ended.

Clark froze. Wait. What?

Lana licked her lips. "I loved you once, Clark. And I still do, just not _that way_. I'm sorry that I didn't wait like I told you I would. But you need to know that _I_ fell in love with your father and _I_ pursued him. So if there's anyone to blame it's _me_. Please don't hate your father for this."

"Lana-," Jonathan started.

"Wait a minute." Clark looked between the two of them, dumbfounded, as he suddenly noticed Lana's wedding ring. "You're telling me _you two_ are married?" When they nodded in silence he blinked and brought a hand to his head. "Those kids are _your_ kids?"

Lana and Jonathan exchanged looked before they breathed in and cleared their throats and nodded once more.

He took a step back. Wow. He hadn't seen that coming! He was speechless! And while he was still highly annoyed with the situation he realized that it wasn't the gut-clenching fury he'd felt moments ago, and the realization left him more stunned than the situation itself.

"Ok." He finally spoke. "I'm not-this is a lot to take in." His gaze found Lana. "Last time I saw you I was planning on proposing when I returned from training." Both his father and Lana looked hella guilty, but there was definitely no romantic yearning in Lana's hazel gaze. She was telling the truth. She'd fallen in love with his father. She'd completely gotten over him. A part of Clark was hurt, extremely hurt, but he didn't have it in him to be angry. He could understand, somewhat. He wasn't happy, at all, but there really wasn't anything he could do about the situation, was there? Especially not considering that Lana was the mother of his brothers.

Oh, wow. How weird was that? The woman he'd once thought he'd marry was his stepmother.

This was like one of the daytime soap operas he'd been forced to watch with Chloe that time she'd broken her foot.

"We're so sorry," Jonathan whispered. "We-."

"Dad." Clark took in a deep breath and placed his hand on his father's shoulder. "Just-give me some time to digest this, okay?"

He nodded. "We kept your room, it's just how you left it, uh, and we understand if you don't want to stay with us but we want you to."

"Please do," Lana whispered.

He didn't know if he could. This was just a lot to take in. "I, uh…" What did one say in this situation?

 ** _Please let him understand_**. That wasn't his voice. That whisper had belonged to someone else.

"I, uh, I need to do something right now." With that he superspeeded away, following that voice towards his room. In seconds he was there, and found Chloe seated on his bed, her hands on her large stomach, and a worried expression on her face.

She looked up at him, shock and worry and guilt all over her face. "If you're going to be angry, be angry at me."

How many times had he heard that within the last couple of minutes? "Is that so?"

She nodded and licked her lips. "I'm the one that pushed them together. If it wasn't for me, things might be different right now."

Okay, that floored him. He leaned against the wall and just watched her. He had a myriad of feelings within him right now. One part of him wanted to lash out at her for doing that to him, another part wanted to wrap her in his arms and tell her how much he'd missed her, and yet another part of her wanted to ask whose baby she was carrying – who she was married to.

"They were both suffering – and they loved each other – and I _know_ that my reasons will never be enough. I _knew_ that you'd suffer but I still helped them, and I'm sorry because I know I'm a terrible person – a terrible friend." She nibbled on her bottom lip, unable to look at him. "I get it if you don't want to talk to me again, but I'm here to listen to all you have to say to me." She took in a deep breath, squared her shoulders and closed her eyes tightly. "Come on. Let me have it. I more than deserve it."

She was waiting for him to yell at her, to tell her all sorts of horrible things.

He tilted his head and watched her. While he _was_ pissed off at her, unable to understand _why_ she'd do what she'd done, especially when she'd known it would hurt him, a part of him was more annoyed by this submissive side of hers. She'd never been submissive before. She'd been imposing. She'd been manipulative. She'd been a bully who'd forced him to go along with her and do things he'd never have done otherwise. Those were characteristics of hers that he'd always liked.

"Are you going with the quiet treatment? The cold shoulder?" She peeked open an eye, still extremely tense. "You shouldn't. Don't bottle it up. I've been waiting for this day. Just let it all out." She placed her hands on her stomach once more. "I can handle it."

His gaze lowered to her stomach. "How far along are you?"

She froze and looked down at herself. "Seven months, almost eight." She rubbed her stomach fondly, a small smile touching her lips. "He's almost here."

So she was having a boy. Huh. "Who's the father?"

She looked up at him in shock and then looked back down. "Arthur."

He paused. "Curry?"

She nodded with a sad smile on her face. "Yeah."

She'd married AC. She was having AC's kid. "Why the hell would you marry the guy who hooked up with Lois?" His voice was harsher than he'd have expected.

"They never actually _hooked up_." Her voice was harsh, defensive. "And anyway, Lois and Oliver are married now and-."

Oh wow. Oliver had been brave enough to actually _marry_ Lois? Poor him!

"This doesn't matter." She gazed at him, green eyes blazing slightly. "Tell me I'm a bad person, and a horrible friend."

"You're a bad person and a horrible friend."

She almost smiled at the bland way he said that, then she cleared her throat and her expression went grave once more. "Clark. I'm serious."

"So am I. You're a bad person and a horrible friend." His voice was a soft sigh as he stared at the pale blonde. "I missed you."

"I missed you too." Tears built in her greens but she held them back valiantly. "I know that I don't deserve to be your friend after what I've done, but for what it's worth, I'm happy you're back safe and sound." She awkwardly arose from his bed. "I'll be going now."

When she headed towards the door he contemplated letting her go, but he moved without even realizing it, wrapping his arms around her from behind and pulling her back into his chest. Clark closed his eyes and buried his face in her hair as he breathed in her scent. He'd missed her. He'd missed her so damn badly. "I'm really angry at you." And yet he couldn't, wouldn't, let go.

She began to shake in his arms, and it took him a couple of seconds to realize that she was crying. It might be utterly silent, but she was bawling her eyes out. He hugged her tighter (ever careful not to be too tight) and hid his face in her neck. He listened to the sound of her heartbeat, a sound that he'd grown so accustomed to and had missed so much, and it lulled him into tranquility.

For the first time since he'd stepped out of the Caves, it felt like he was really back.

Suddenly the door flew open and the twins from before barged in, eyes wide. "CLARK! IT'S CLARK! I CAN'T BELIEVE IT!" They raced around him and Chloe before grabbing and his clothes and yanking them, talking excitedly as they introduced themselves and other stuff he could barely understand given the fact that they kept trying to talk over each other.

Staring down at his father's sons with Lana, Clark felt a little intimidated.

"Hey, you two, give him a chance to get a breath." Chloe's voice stilled the twins. "He's got a lot to take in, okay?"

"Yes ma'am," the echoed, much like they had outside.

This time, though, Clark was amused by it.

Chloe cleared her throat. "I'll leave you to it."

Clark looked up in time for her to slip out of the room. He reached out to call her back when Lewis and Jon started talking, again, asking a million questions a minute. He looked down at his brothers and cleared his throat. This was going to get interesting.

* * *

Chloe knew there was no way that that was all she was going to hear from Clark about the situation. For right now he'd been bombarded by a lot, and was in shock. Once he was able to sit down and process things though, she knew he'd have it out with her, and she was not only waiting for it, but she knew she deserved it.

Picking up the picture of her and AC at their wedding, Chloe sighed as she rubbed her stomach. By god, but she missed her husband. He'd been the person to help her get over her onesided crush on Clark, had encouraged her to forgive herself, to live, to be happy. And she _had_ been happy. She'd been so deliriously happy it'd made his death even worse to bear.

The only thing that'd allowed her to go on was the child she carried in her womb. If it wasn't for their son she would've given up, wouldn't have been able to continue.

 _I love you, AC._ She traced her finger down his smiling face. _I wish you were here_.

Tired, she turned and eased herself onto the sofa. She'd watch something and try to relax. For now, for this evening, she needed to fortify herself for the confrontation with Clark.

* * *

 **TBC**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: Don't own Smallville**

* * *

Not for the first time since he'd come back, did Clark wonder if he'd been released into a Bizarro World. It was really hard for him to digest the fact that the girl he'd once loved was not only married to his father, but that they had two sons together. But it was true. It was right there in front of him. And even if he didn't have to see them together all the time, he could just see touches of Lana all over the house.

Martha wasn't completely gone, no, there were still traces of her (like pictures of her, Clark, and Jonathan) but this was most definitely Lana Kent's house. And damn it, but that felt weird. His room was indeed the only place that had escaped Lana's changes. It was just how he left it. A part of him was grateful for something that he could feel at home in, that felt familiar, and yet another part wished that they'd changed it up. It was as if his room was trapped in time – much like he was.

His brothers were amusing though, and it was hard not to like them – not that he'd tried. They were vivacious and spontaneous and got into trouble with their mother every single day. They fought over whether football or basketball was "The Boss Sport" and each begged Clark to play with them every single day. And he played with them. He wouldn't pick between football and basketball though, no matter how much they begged him to, because he felt that whoever won would never let the other one live it down.

"You're totally cool, Big Bro," Lewis announced proudly. "We knew you would be."

"We totally did," Jon agreed. "You're _our_ Big Bro, you had to be cool!"

Clark sent them a smile as they sat on the porch after shooting some hoops. If there was something he liked about this Bizarro World, it was the twins. Sure, they'd taken some getting used to (and he was _still_ trying to get used to them) but he genuinely liked them.

"Do you think Aunt Chloe's coming today?" Jon turned to Lewis. "She hasn't been around much lately."

"I know." Lewis pouted. "Think she's mad at us?"

Jon's eyes widened, as if he hadn't even thought of that. "Maybe."

Clark knew why Chloe hadn't been around, and he frowned as he gazed up at the cornflower blue sky. "She's not mad at either of you. She's giving me time to settle in."

"Why? Don't you like Aunt Chloe?" Jon wanted to know.

"They're bestest friends," Lewis declared. "Of _course_ he likes her."

Of course he liked her. That didn't mean he wasn't hurt though.

"Do you think Uncle Bruce is going to marry her?" Jon asked his brother curiously. "Maybe that's why she's not here."

"No." Lewis pouted. "When I grow up _I_ will marry her."

Clark turned towards them, curious. "Bruce Wayne?" Oliver had just made friends with the Gotham vigilante when Clark had gone to train. He didn't know much about him though, other than the fact that he was a womanizer.

"Yeah, Uncle Bruce." Jon nodded.

"Why would he marry Chloe?" Clark frowned. "She's married to AC."

Lewis shook his head with a sad frown. "Uncle Arthur's dead."

Clark's eyes widened. " _What_?"

Lewis and Jon exchanged looks before they scooted closer and spilled everything they knew.

Chloe Sullivan-Curry was a _widow_.

Clark tried to get his head around that. He'd just gotten the bare bones of the story from the kids and had asked his father for the rest of it. It'd been one of the first genuine conversations he'd had with his dad since he got back, and it'd pained Clark's heart. Damn it. Why hadn't anyone told him until now that Chloe wasn't married to Arthur but was his widow? That she was pregnant and all alone in the world? That she had no one to help her? To lean on? To _be there_ for her?

"It's still relatively recent; she doesn't like talking about it." Jonathan motioned to a picture Clark had seen some days back on the mantle, one he'd avoided almost as much as he had the picture of his father and Lana's wedding. This picture was of a wedding as well, but the bride in white was blonde, not a brunette, as was her grinning groom. "We all try to be there for her but she's fiercely independent and wants to do everything herself. It drives Lana and Lois crazy."

"Still, she's so close to term that there's bound to be stuff she can't do for herself." Clark forced himself to really look at the picture, at the way AC and Chloe smiled at each other. They were obviously in love, and happy. It… it kind of pissed him off. He didn't understand why. He should be happy that she'd found someone who could look at her that way… Who could make _her_ look at him that way. Clark gulped against a hard lump in his throat and cleared his throat as he glanced away, unable to look at that picture for one more second.

"Yeah," Jonathan agreed softly, sadly. "Doesn't seem to stop her, though." He cleared his throat. "She usually lets Bruce help more than the others – but that's because he doesn't really ask for her permission or even let her know what he's doing. He just does it."

Clark frowned at his father. This was the second time he'd heard about Bruce Wayne in regards to Chloe. "Why?"

"Well, if you ask me, he hasn't gotten over her," Jonathan admitted.

Clark felt himself go still. "They dated?"

"Yeah, before she got with AC she was with Bruce for a while. He's a nice guy." Jonathan cleared his throat. "I think he still cares for her and this might be what they need to get back together." He gazed at the picture. "He'd be good for her."

Clark never voiced it, but something deep inside of him tightened. He didn't know this Bruce guy, not really, but that something deep within him didn't like Bruce Wayne, didn't like him at all.

* * *

"Please don't hold Chloe accountable for what happened."

Clark looked up from where he'd been getting a drink of water to see Lana there, twisting her hands together nervously. "Why not?" He didn't blame Chloe, not really. Sure, she'd pushed, but nothing would've happened if Lana and his father weren't already in love.

"Because it's not her fault that I fell in love with your father." Lana bit her bottom lip. "She was just being my friend."

"She was my friend too, Lana, my _best_ friend," he reminded, maybe a little harsher than he had meant to.

Lana flinched and lowered her gaze. "You weren't here, Clark. We didn't know when we'd see you again, or if we'd ever see you again."

"So that makes it alright?" He turned to face her completely. There was no ire in his tone, merely curiosity.

"No." Lana's voice softened to a whisper. "But I'm not going to ever regret loving your father. I'm happy, Clark. I'm so happy it hurts every day. It's this amazing hurt that leaves me breathless, happy to wake up each day because I wake up next to him."

It hurt Clark a little to hear that, but it also helped, somewhat. He couldn't explain, not to her, not to himself.

"I know this is hard for you, I know you feel like we've all stabbed you in the back, but we all love you, Clark." She steeled her shoulders. "And we're happy you're back. Hopefully you can learn to forgive us in time." She then turned and left.

Clark watched her and realized that she'd grown stronger since he'd been gone. Being a wife, a mother, really suited her. The thought made him smile softly.

He finished the glass of water and then sighed as he went about watching the glass. Why wasn't he angrier about all of this? His father had married the girl he loved – and his best friend had had a hand in all of it, he should be pissed! And yet, really, all he felt was hurt.

* * *

"So, you're back."

Clark turned from where he'd been hauling hay and smiled to see none other than Oliver Queen. "Long time no see."

"Who's to blame for that?" Oliver quipped as he patted Clark on the back. "So, what was it like? This super alien training of yours?"

Clark shrugged, a little uneasy to talk about it, and not sure how to explain it in mortal terms either. "It was an experience." He cleared his throat. "Though I'm sure it's not as interesting, or hazardous, as marrying Lois Lane."

Oliver grinned. "Yeah, I'm a brave one."

"My thoughts exactly," Clark admitted as he leaned against his pitch fork. "I heard it was a quick thing."

"It was. We decided to just elope and that same night we woke up Chloe and Bruce and told them to come with us to Vegas so we could tie the knot."

Clark's smile fell. "Chloe and Bruce were sleeping together?"

"Uh, no, they'd broken up by then. I meant we woke them up separately." Oliver shook his head. "We flew to Vegas and got hitched. Then we went on honeymoon and left them to deal with the fallout from everyone else regarding the fact that they hadn't been invited to the wedding." He grinned, nostalgic. "Good times, those."

Despite himself, Clark had to grin at his friend.

Oliver sent him a sideways glance. "So, Lois wants you over for dinner this weekend. The League is getting together and we want you there, like old times. Or, well, new times, considering you and Bruce never really had much of a chance to get to know each other."

Clark hesitated. He wanted to go. Want to meet up with his old friends. But a part of him wanted to hold back.

"Plus, you haven't seen his and Watchtower's verbal foreplay." Oliver anchored his hands on his narrow hips, his expression slowly turning grim. "I know that she's still mourning AC, but we all hope that once she's managed to grieve that things can work out between her and Bruce. He-he's a good guy."

"Arthur only died some months ago, it's a little early to be matchmaking her, especially when she hasn't had their kid yet." Clark hadn't meant to sound so sharp, he hadn't meant to sound sharp _at all_ , and yet even he could hear the steel in his tone, and it shocked him.

Oliver merely sighed before he clapped Clark on the back and changed the subject.

Clark let him.

* * *

Clark Kent didn't know what he was doing here. He gazed at the Metropolis Daily Planet and almost turned around and walked away, but he couldn't. Instead of walking back to where the truck was, Clark found himself stepping into the building he'd gotten to know so well. Before he'd gone to train he'd constantly been at Chloe's desk, both early morning and late at night, either asking her to find out something about the meteor freak of the week, or complaining about his and Lana's problems, or something like that.

He'd never thought the day would come in which he'd feel uncomfortable, unsure, within these walls.

Licking his lips, he made his way down the familiar path towards Chloe's desk and stopped in mid-step. She wasn't there. Or, well, someone _else_ was there. Someone else's nameplate sat on what was _her_ desk. What was going on?

"CK?" A familiar voice asked him.

He turned to see Jimmy Olsen, and like always, he was uncomfortable with this guy. "Jimmy, hey."

"It's been forever!" Jimmy grinned as he hugged Clark, seeming unaware of how stiff Clark was. "Bright Eyes said you were off studying or something. How's it feel to be back? Are you here for good or are you just passing through?"

Right. Bright Eyes. Clark had never liked Jimmy's nickname for Chloe. It sounded so cheesy.

"I'm back, for now at least." He shuffled on his feet.

"Cool." Jimmy grinned. "So, what are you doing here?"

"Uh," he cleared his throat. "I was looking for Chloe, actually."

"Why?" Jimmy asked curiously. "Was she coming in today?" He must've seen something in Clark's expression because his eyes widened. "Oh! She's not here." He blinked. "I'm surprised that she didn't tell you."

Yeah, that was a lot about Chloe that was blindsiding Clark. "Tell me what?"

And then Jimmy said the one thing that shocked Clark stiff. "She doesn't work here anymore."

" _What_?" Clark couldn't keep the shock out of his tone. Chloe Sullivan not work at the Daily Planet? There was no way that the girl who'd dreamt of working here since she was a child would-oh my god. This WAS a Bizarro World!

"Yeah, she quit sometime after she married Arthur," Jimmy continued as if he hadn't just revealed to Clark that he'd been spat out in the wrong world. "I'll give you directions to her new office. Just wait here, I have a card of hers somewhere!" With that he took off.

Clark stood in the middle of the Daily Planet and brought a hand to his head. This had to be a Bizarro World. Or maybe, just maybe, his training hadn't actually ended. Maybe his father had only _said_ that it had and this was actually some sort of test. That was the only explanation for all of the weirdness surrounding him.

His father marrying Lana and having twins.

Oliver and Lois marrying and having a son.

Chloe and AC marrying… Chloe being a widow…. Chloe being pregnant for AC… Chloe _not working for the Daily Planet_ …

These all had to be clues to the fact that this wasn't the real world.

 _Right_?

He really needed to talk to Chloe. Even if she wasn't the real one – or a Bizarro one – she'd still help him. He knew she would.

"Here you go! I knew I had it lying around somewhere." Jimmy returned with the card in time for someone to yell out OLSEN! Jimmy flinched. "Coming chief!" He turned to Clark. "It was good to see you again, CK, give my best to Chloe and let her know me and Kat are going to that party of hers." With that he hurried off towards the Editor's office.

Taking in a deep breath, Clark stared down at the card.

 ** _Chloe Sullivan-Curry – Founder and CEO of Atlantis Arising_**

Atlantis Arising?

What the heck was that?

He looked at the contact information. That was really the only thing that the card boasted of, other than a fancy design he felt he should know but didn't. The address was the only thing he knew of, though. It was Oliver's old Clock tower building. Apparently that was where Chloe did her business now – whatever the hell it was – which meant that it had to be related to League business somehow – although _how_ it could be related he wasn't sure.

Too confused, too bombarded with questions, Clark left the Daily Planet and returned home to Smallville. He'd talk to her when his head didn't feel like it was about to explode.

* * *

It took him three whole days to get the nerve to go back to Metropolis and go to the Clock tower. Apparently Oliver had given it to AC some years ago when he'd moved to Metropolis, and Chloe had inherited the building after her husband's death. She'd quit the Daily Planet soon after marrying AC, as Jimmy had said, and they'd started _Atlantis Arising_ , which was, well, Clark wasn't exactly sure what it was. Jonathan hadn't, either, just that it aimed to help people, animals, and especially the planet.

Clark stared at the _Atlantis Arising_ sign and made a face. Since when had Chloe ever been an eco-warrior? When he'd known her, the extent of her eco-awareness was, well, now that he thought about it, she hadn't been eco-aware at all.

"You know, if you weren't hot, I would've snapped at you for just standing in the doorway and blocking it," a voice declared behind him.

He turned to see a spunky brunette. "Sorry." He moved out of the way.

She eyed him up and down. "Clark, right?"

His eyes widened. "How do you-?"

"Chloe has a picture with you in it in her office." She held out a hand. "Name's Maera. I'm Chloe's assistant."

This girl looked nothing like an assistant. She looked like an assassin.

"Come on in." She moved passed him and entered the building. "Chloe's in her office trying to deal with some problems we're having, and you'll be the kind of distraction she needs." She leaned in closer, voice low. "She's been having a rough couple of weeks, pregnancy wise. I'm about to force her to move in with me, at least until she gives birth. I mean, no one should have to go through this alone, you know?"

Clark nodded silently as he followed Maera and then stopped when he saw a large glass office. Chloe stood, her stomach impossibly large, as she eyed the 3D projection around her. She moved things around, entered calculations, and repeated as necessary once calculations or the changes took place. "Wow."

"I know, it's real hi-tech." Maera brushed that off. "Go on, now. Don't be shy." She moved towards another glass office and hurried up when her phone began to ring.

Licking his lips, Clark hesitated a second before he turned to where Chloe was once more. He went to the glass wall and knocked on it.

The sound jarred Chloe from her thoughts and when she turned to look at him he could see the surprise, anxiety, and slight fear in her eyes. She was worried he'd come to finally, truly, tell her what a horrible person she was.

He cleared his throat and moved to the glass door, waited for it to slide open, and entered the office. "Hey."

"Hey." Chloe tapped some things in the holographic keyboard, and suddenly the office's glass walls tinted dark, not allowing anyone from outside to see them. "Uh, I didn't expect to see you here."

"I didn't expect to see _you_ here," he admitted as he looked around the office at the pictures and such. "I thought there was a Pulitzer with your name on it."

"Right." She nodded. "Things change."

"They do."

She flinched.

So did he.

He didn't mean to say the things he did, or act the way he did. In fact, with most stuff, while not completely over it, he'd adapted and learnt to accept them. He'd learnt to accept that Lana was married and in love with his father. He'd learnt to accept that he had twin brothers. He'd learnt to accept that someone had made an honest woman out of Lois and had actually trusted that hellion with the task of raising a child.

Considering all that, it was beyond him why he couldn't accept Chloe. Why he couldn't accept that she'd pushed Lana and his father together… Couldn't accept that she'd married AC and was pregnant with his child… Couldn't accept that she'd left the Daily Planet to start up an Eco venture… Every new piece or detail he learnt was yet another bit to add to the "Can't Accept" pile. Or, well, maybe it was the " _Won't_ Accept" pile.

Why was it that out everything that was screwed up in this world, what bothered him the most was _her_?

* * *

 **TBC**


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: Don't own Smallville**

* * *

v-v-v-v

"So, I remember AC getting in trouble protesting things, but when did _you_ get into this sort of thing?" Clark moved around the office, gazing at the pictures and souvenirs and other sorts of things that made this place completely Chloe.

"It happens when you're married to someone who talks to fishes who tell him firsthand how badly pollution has affected their way of life." Chloe leaned back against her desk and rested her hands on her stomach. "At first I'll admit that I just went to his rallies to humor him, to understand him, but in time I came around to his way of seeing things. We only have one earth. We need to make sure that our children, and our grandchildren, can still live on it when their time comes." Something shone in her eyes, it was passion. "Think about how we're damaging our way of life. The majority of our planet is covered in water, and yet every single day more and more of it gets polluted with things like toxic waste – or like that spill in Japan or the BP disaster." She took in a deep breath. "There are parts of the world that are dying of thirst because they can't drink their own water – things have been dumped in it – it's _criminal_ , Clark! While _Atlantis'_ goal is to protect the earth in general, we focus on all things marine. Our motto is-."

His Chloe talked about crime and catching the bad guys. This Chloe was so different. She seemed impassioned about saving the earth, not by capturing evil villains and putting them behind bars, but by raising awareness and championing the environmental causes of the less fortunate. She almost seemed like a stranger.

Clark resented that, could feel his heckles rising defensively. He'd gone through Bizarro/dream situations before, but in each and every one of them, no matter the changes, Chloe had always been the same. She'd been his one slice of home – of familiarity – of _belonging_. But since he'd come back she'd seemed the most changed of them all.

He didn't like it. Didn't want it. He wanted the Chloe he'd left five years ago – and even as he thought that he knew how monumentally selfish that was.

"I'm not in the right world."

Chloe stopped mid-rant and blinked as she eyed him. "Excuse me?"

He took in a deep breath. "I'm in a Bizarro World, I'm almost sure of it."

Something strange crossed her eyes before she cleared her throat. "Why would you think that?"

He gave her a look. "Lana is not only married to my father - she's the mother of my step-brothers. When we left she was in love with me – promised she'd wait for me."

Chloe hesitated before she spoke. "So because Lana is with your father, you're convinced this is a Bizarro World?"

"Not even just that, but so many things are wrong with this world!" Now that he'd started, Clark couldn't stop as he began to pace her office. "But the worse of it all – the thing that makes me _know_ I'm not in my world – is _you_."

She froze, hurt flashing over her features.

"You're not my Chloe." She _couldn't_ be. He couldn't have lost Chloe this spectacularly. "My Chloe wouldn't have pushed my father and Lana together. My Chloe wouldn't have left the Daily Planet. _My_ Chloe wouldn't have married Arthur Curry!"

"Why not?" Her voice was soft.

"I can't believe you have to ask!" He turned to face her, battling all his conflicting emotions, which threatened to suffocate him under their intensity. "I was in love with Lana! I thought I was going to marry her! I thought that _I_ would be the father of her children – not _my_ father!"

"I understand that part." She lowered her head. "I meant to ask, why your Chloe wouldn't have married Arthur."

He opened his mouth and then stopped. Why _wouldn't_ his Chloe have married AC? He couldn't find an exact reason for it, he just—he just knew it was wrong and that it shouldn't have happened. "She just wouldn't have."

"That's not a good enough reason to call me Bizarro Chloe." Her voice was soft yet firm. "I get how you could feel the way you do concerning the situation with Lana and your father – but leaving the Daily Planet, and marrying Arthur… those are my choices for my life, and I think I'd know myself better than you'd know me."

He stepped back, feeling slapped. Thing is, before he'd left he'd thought that if there was anyone who he knew as well as he knew himself, it was Chloe. But five years had changed that so that his best friend, his sole confident and his closest companion, was now a stranger with veiled eyes and a tense posture.

What if this wasn't a Bizarro World? What if this _was_ his Chloe?

The thought left him weak and he slid down against the wall to sit on the ground. He hung his head and took in a deep reach as he leaned his elbows on his knees, his heart racing and his breathing growing harsher. What was happening? Why couldn't he breathe? Why did it hurt so much?

" _Clark_?"

It really hurt!

" _Clark_!" She was in front of him, awkwardly bent so that she knelt in front of him, one hand on his shoulder, and the other cupping his cheek, tilting his gaze up to meet hers. "Clark, you need to relax, you're having a panic attack."

A _panic attack_? _Him_?

"Look at me, Clark." Her thumb caressed his cheek as she began to breathe in and out. "Breathe with me, come on, breathe."

Clark concentrated on her lips, on matching her exhale and inhale. He blocked out the noises all around and just concentrated on Chloe. Slowly, very slowly, the suffocating feeling, the frantic drumming of his heart, and all the other emotions that made him want to hurl, subsided. They were still there, deep inside, but they'd lessened so that he could regain control of himself once more.

Chloe seemed to know when he was out of the woods, because she smiled softly at him. "There go you."

The kryptonian stared up at her and once more couldn't stop himself as he reached out and hugged her tightly. He didn't let up, not even when she squeaked and lost her balance at the unexpected move on his part. His strength kept her from falling as he eased her closer so that she sat between his thighs. He held her close, hid his face in her hair, and merely breathed in her scent. Her heartbeat was one that he knew so well, and the sound of it lulled him completely this time, so that the nausea and terror was gone. He knew this scent and this heartbeat.

Finally. Something he recognized.

v-v-v-v

Chloe awoke to the feel of her sheets. It was a little confusing considering that the last thing she remembered was sitting on the ground, surrounded by Clark's heat as he hugged her as if holding on to life itself. Considering he'd called her a Bizarro version of 'his' Chloe, and then had gone into the first panic attack she'd ever seen him go through, she hadn't expected that progression. And yet she'd sat there and been there for him. It wouldn't make up for all she'd done to make his return that more unpleasant, but she was trying.

She must've managed to fall asleep, and Clark had brought her up here. Maera must've shown him up since she had an extra key (Chloe wasn't sure exactly how Maera had gotten the key – but she'd let her assistant keep it because (a) she'd just sneak another copy, and (b) it was good knowing that if anything happened to her there was someone who could come and check up on her). It was scary being pregnant and alone, but Chloe was too proud to rely on other people, especially when they had so many problems of their own. She'd get through this pregnancy without bothering as many people as possible.

There was a knock on the door.

Maera must be checking up on her. "Since when do you knock?"

There was a clear hesitation before the door opened and Clark stuck his head inside, expression sheepish. "I heard your heartbeat change and figured you must be awake."

" _Clark_." She sat up straighter in bed, eyes wide in surprise. "I figured that you'd left."

His sheepish expression grew. "I was curious."

It took her a minute to realize what he was curious about. "Oh. My house." She eased off of the bed and was on her feet, wincing slightly at how swollen and sore they were. "You gave yourself the grand tour?"

"Not in its entirety, no." He looked a little uncomfortable. "I just hung around looking at the pictures you have – and other stuff."

She smiled at him, amused. "Have you seen the baby's room?"

He blinked, seemingly surprised at something. "No. I really haven't ventured out of the living room."

She met him, barefoot, and looped her arm around his. "Come, let me show you." He was silent as he let her drag him about, but she didn't care, was just glad that he'd stuck around. They didn't have to walk far, the room was the closest to the Master. She hesitated before she opened the door. "No x-ray vision."

Clark's lips twitched. "Scout's honor."

"You were never a scout – that doesn't count," she informed him before she finally flung the door open. "Welcome to Arthur Junior's room." She smiled as she pulled Clark in after her and kicked the door closed behind them with her heel.

The baby's room was the part of the house she felt proudest about. The accessories were all in reds and yellows (Arthur's colors) and the walls had not only been painted to depict a breathtaking underwater scene filled with marine wildlife and coral, but the ceiling depicted a gorgeous sunset. The crib was large and in the middle of the room. Toys were piled up everywhere (as were pampers) and they had more onesies and booties than they had space to put them.

Clark's eyes widened as he stepped out of Chloe's grip and looked around him, expression awed. "This is _gorgeous_." He moved and picked up a Nemo plushie. Only then did she realize he was shoeless. He must've seen her **No Shoes Allowed** sign by the front door.

Chloe eased towards the "pimped out" (as Lois had referred to it) rocking chair Lucy had bought her once the news of her pregnancy had hit. She slowly lowered herself onto it and let out a sigh of relief to be off of her feet. And now, from this seriously comfortable vantage point, she could watch Clark explore her baby's room. Her hands went to her stomach and she rubbed it softly, caressingly, thinking about her son being born and enjoying everything within.

As always, when she thought about AJ's birth, sadness flittered through her soul at the fact that AC wouldn't be alive to see it.

"So, I'm assuming you think he's going to inherit his father's affinity for the water, and not your healing gift." There was something odd in Clark's voice as he picked up a picture, which was of Chloe and AC looking out at the sunset, Chloe's forehead pressed against his chest, and AC's arm around her shoulders.

"My 'gift' isn't natural. Or, well, I wasn't born with it. AC was." She gazed up at the sunset on the roof, which had been based off of the sunset in the picture Clark still stared at. "I figure that it makes sense that his will be dominant."

"You're not worried." That wasn't a question; it was a statement, a very confused statement.

"About what?" Chloe tilted her head.

"About the fact that your son will be born a metahuman." Clark turned to look at her, holding the frame tightly in his hands. "I remember when you found out about your abilities – you nearly had a nervous breakdown."

Oh. Right. Their bomb-waiting-to-explode conversation.

Chloe cleared her throat. "I guess I got over it."

"Got over it." Clark stared at her as if _she_ were the alien in the room.

"I fell in love with Arthur, Clark, I wanted a life with him." She didn't know how best to put it. "I knew that if we had children they'd have powers – and I realized that I was more than okay with it. If they were like their father – I'd be _so proud_." She smiled at the thought as she rubbed her stomach. "No matter what AJ is, human or superhuman, I'll love him with all my heart and be the best mother I can be."

Clark stared at her with an odd expression on her face before he looked away. "You know, before I left for training, I used to imagine what my life would be like."

Chloe tensed slightly, waiting for him to tell her, once more, how much she'd screwed everything up for him.

"I imagined myself with Lana, obviously." He looked a little tired as he put the frame back on the bookshelf. "But I never imagined us with kids."

Her eyes widened in shock. "Why not?"

He sent her a look that said she should've guessed the answer. "She's human, Chloe. I'm inhuman. Our baby's DNA would be half mine. What if it kicked and broke through her stomach or something?"

That was… _grizzly_.

"In some sense I'm glad she's with my father." And it seemed to kill him to admit it. "I wouldn't have been able to give her what she obviously wanted – children – I wouldn't have ever felt safe enough to do that. In the end, I knew that she'd grown up without a family and always wanted one with her own – but I was still willing to keep it from her. With dad she can finally be a part of a family."

Chloe didn't know what to say to that.

"I think I envy Oliver and AC." He licked his lips. "Oliver's a human – and AC's abilities wouldn't endanger the mother of his child like mine would. They could have the best of both worlds – could save the world and yet have a home, a family."

"You can have the same thing." She didn't get how he couldn't see that. "There is no way that Jor-El was the only kryptonian who ever came to earth. I'm sure that there are others – who knows how many half kryptonians we might have amongst us? They might be the origin for the metahumans I've met who were never trapped in a meteor shower – like Arthur."

Clark stared at her, his expression betraying his fear to hope. "Do you really think so or are you just trying to cheer me up?"

"I really _do_ think so, in fact, I've been doing research on the subject," she admitted. "I think that kryptonians have not only come to earth before and mixed with our race, but that other races of ITs have as well."

He smiled, probably happy she remembered he preferred Intergalactic Travelers over alien.

"You _can_ be happy and have a family here, Clark, I don't think Jor El would've sent you to a planet where you couldn't truly be a part of it, couldn't have a family of your own." She believed that with all of her heart.

"That might be so, but I'll never risk someone I love to test the theory."

She sighed. "Well, there's always time to run tests and diagnostics."

He raised an eyebrow. "You want to run tests on me?"

"Not on _you_!" She snorted. "On your semen."

He tripped _on air_ and his eyes widened comically as he caught himself mid-trip and straightened. " _What_?"

For a second he'd turned back to the bumbling teen she'd known so well, and the thought made her laugh. "How else am I supposed to help? I need _something_ to use – and between the two of us – I prefer your sperm to your blood. That way it's just you ejaculating and not me bleeding you with a Green K needle."

Clark looked like he didn't know whether to go pale or turn crimson. "I don't know if I'm, uh, comfortable, with you, uh, handling my, uh, my, you know, my, uh…." He went completely scarlet. "I just think- _wouldn't you find that awkward_?" He said that last bit all in one breath.

She was amused, but also determined. She'd messed up Clark's life, and now that he'd shown he still cared enough to come here, to open himself like this to her after everything – she was going to help him. She wouldn't be able to make up for the Lana situation, but she'd make sure that Clark would be able to have a family – would be ready and confident whenever he met the next woman he wanted to live his life with.

"I'd do it for you, Clark." She couldn't be more sincere as she stared at him. "I'd do anything for you, you know that, right?"

He just stared at her in silence, something odd passing over his features. "Anything."

She nodded. "Is there anything else you want me to do?"

That strange expression grew before suddenly he shook his head and went crimson again. "Let's not talk about this for right now. This whole conversation has me all weirded out."

"Okay." She'd let it fall for now, but had a feeling that once Clark had a moment to think it over, he'd come to her. In fact, she knew he would, and when he did, she'd do all in her power to give him the hope of a family. "Come on then, there's the rest of the place to show."

v-v-v-v

Clark couldn't get the idea out of his head. For years he'd told himself he'd never be able to have a true family of his own, he'd forced himself to get used to the idea, but now that he'd had that conversation with Chloe he couldn't stop thinking about the possibility. What if he _could_ procreate safely with earthling women?

He could have a family – could be like any other man out there.

He sent a sideways glance towards Chloe, who was dozing on the couch, her head leaning against his arm. The movie they'd been watching had ended a long time ago, and the screen was blank, but he hadn't moved because of all of the thoughts in his mind.

 _Was_ this his Chloe? Like in every world, she was there for him. No matter what hand she'd played in his father's marriage to Lana, she was still his best friend, still the person who understood him best, whom he'd confided his deepest, darkest secrets and desires to, and who not only supported him, but was doing her best to help him.

She _was_ his Chloe.

He sighed and looked down at her golden head.

What exactly was he going to do?

* * *

 **TBC**


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: Don't own Smallville**

* * *

-V-v-V-

"Clark." She didn't even look up away from the screen. "Stop acting like I'm about to take your virginity by force."

How could she be so _normal_ about this? She was analyzing a _sperm sample_ for crying out loud!

"You don't have to be here, you know, I'm not going to discover anything right away." Chloe tapped on certain holographic keys and started running various tests on the sample before she turned to face him. "I'll call you when I have some answers." She moved passed him towards her desk and sat down with a sigh, a hand on her stomach as she pulled up her next holographic screen and narrowed her eyes when she noticed the numerous emails that had been sent.

Clark knew that expression. "Problems?"

"Nothing to worry about," she replied, distracted, as she read through them quickly and began responding. "So, are you ready to meet the rest of the gang tonight?"

"I thought Bruce was the only one I'd have to meet." And he wasn't looking forwards to that. Tonight was Lois' dinner, and if it wasn't for the fact that Chloe was going (and Clark _had_ to see Lois with a child to truly believe it) he wouldn't have agreed to go.

"Not at all," she replied, gaze still on the screen. "There's Diana." She slid a gaze towards him finally and a little smile curled her lips.

He suddenly had a feeling this was a matchmaking attempt, and it made him extremely uncomfortable.

"You'll like Diana, she's lovely." Chloe's gaze returned to the screen as she sent her email. "You two have a lot in common."

"Is that so?" He looked around him, not used to Chloe trying to set him up with someone, and not liking it.

"Like you she's… not from around here… if you catch my drift."

He paused and then turned to look at her. "She's an IT?"

Chloe grinned and nodded. "Not from your home… town… but yeah. Definitely."

Okay, so he'd like to meet this person after all. He really didn't know too many other Intergalactic Travelers. That didn't mean he wanted to _date_ her though. He'd just come back from years of training with the Holographic representative of his birth father. He'd learnt to control his powers – to understand his destiny. He'd sacrificed a lot for that – love and family – and he was only now trying to get back into the routine, to reconnect with those he hadn't seen in years. He didn't need the hassle of trying to bond with new people on top of that.

Chloe's phone rang, it was her private line. Clark had learnt to differentiate the different tones during the last few days.

She answered it, gaze on the screen. "You could at least give me five minutes to answer your hundred and one emails, Bruce."

Clark turned to look at her subtly, and hadn't even realized that he'd activated his superhearing until he heard Bruce Wayne's voice loud and clear in his ear.

" _Well,_ ** _someone_** _is a ray of sunshine this morning_."

"You realize I'm about to give birth, right?" She wanted to know. "I'm about to pop open."

" _Not for another month or so_ ," he chuckled. " _And I'd be taking you everywhere on my private jet. You'd be comfortable._ "

" _Yeah_ , right until my water breaks in midair. There's a _reason_ why commercial airlines won't let a pregnant woman fly passed a certain time in her pregnancy you know." She flipped through what seemed to be pictures, face scrunched up. "Is it really as bad as all this?"

" _Worse. You're about to pop open. No way would I send you the bad ones_."

She sighed and looked very sick. "When is this again?"

" _We'd have to skip tonight_."

This time Clark _did_ turn to face her. She wasn't going to bail on Lois' dinner, was she?

"Fine." Chloe shook her head. "You're breaking the news to her, though."

" _That's my girl_." Bruce's voice was pure approval. " _I'll be over around seven for you_." And with that he hung up.

Chloe smiled and shook her head as she put down the phone. "Clark, I'm sorry, but I won't be able to come with you tonight like planned. I have to go somewhere with Bruce."

There was something inside of him that churned. It felt like she was choosing Bruce over him, and Clark wasn't used to feeling this way about anything. He resented that the billionaire was getting in the way of his reconnecting with Chloe, but even he knew that he really shouldn't feel _this_ resentful. "Anything interesting going on?"

Like maybe a date?

She sighed and motioned him towards her with her finger. Once he was around she pressed a button and pictures appeared all around them of pollution in lakes and contaminates before pictures of dead animals and skinny, clearly needy children appeared. Then, lastly, pictures of dead women and children popped up on the screen.

"These are, apparently, the least graphic pictures." Chloe let out a sigh as she leaned backwards. "The pollution level in this particular part of Africa has left animals and villagers dead, poisoned. Bruce is attending a charity event that is aiming to not only raise awareness of what is happening, but to get drinkable water to the villagers and their livestock, and also start the process of decontaminating the water."

"So he needs a date to make a charitable donation?" Clark asked.

"No." She raised an eyebrow. "I'm the head of Atlantis, this is basically what this whole place was built to combat. Arthur and I made names for ourselves in the ecological welfare community, and even though he's gone Atlantis is still rising and reaching out further and further. I need to be a part of this. I'm embarrassed I didn't know this was happening, but we're somewhat understaffed and with the pregnancy…" she sighed. "Thankfully Bruce keeps an eye out for me when it comes to charitable events or situations in which Atlantis can make a difference."

This was a part of Chloe that Clark felt alienated from. It wasn't that he didn't understand her mission, in fact it was highly commendable, but it was so different from how things had once been. Chloe and he had bonded over their mutual desire to protect the people, to solve mysteries and bring criminals to justice. Without that in common he was worried how exactly they were going to reconnect and reconstruct their strained bond.

He'd even thought about working at the Daily Planet with her some time back because it would prove him the best source of information of what was going on in the City, as well as a good cover for why he was interested in certain things or found in certain places. But Chloe wasn't working there any longer, and the thought of working with only Jimmy Olsen was a serious turn off.

"What do you think?"

He blinked, realizing that she'd just asked something and was looking at him nervously.

She cleared her throat. "We can't offer a huge pay or anything, but I figured you're here all the time anyway, and not everyone can get along with Maera-."

The intercom came on, and Maera's voice could be heard saying: " _I heard that!_ "

Chloe switched off the intercom and turned back to Clark. "So it wouldn't be too horrible. Right? And if you found something you enjoyed more there will be no weirdness."

Clark stared down at her in dawning understanding. "You're offering me a job, here, at Atlantis."

"Well, we run an awareness magazine, and I know from the Torch days that you definitely have talent when it comes to writing articles… and I know that it isn't what you want but, again, its temporary until you find someone else you really want to do-."

"I don't know how much help I could be," Clark cut into her nervous monologue. "But it sounds like interesting work."

Chloe beamed up at him. "Great."

Clark didn't know why, but he was suddenly the happiest he'd been in a _very_ long time.

-V-v-V-

Clark liked Diana. He especially liked her after he realized that she'd figured out they were being set up, and she'd bluntly announced that he was cute but not her type and she wasn't interested. He'd basically replied the same to her. They'd been fast friends at the dinner table ever since. He could see himself being friends with Diana outside of Lois' dinner parties (and by god, but Lois was being _maternal_ , it was scary!) and figured he shouldn't have doubted Chloe's assessment that he'd like Diana. Chloe knew him better than anyone else did, he should've realized she'd be right.

"So, Smallville," Lois declared as she took a sip of some sort of alcoholic beverage. "My baby cousin says that you're going to work for her in Atlantis."

Clark turned to the brunette who looked lovely yet deadly in her blue dress. She reminded him of a Bond Girl, and he was almost sure that she and Maera must get along splashingly. "Yeah, she offered me the job today, and while I'm not exactly sure what I'll be doing, I've never really been a part of an eco-empire so it'll be interesting."

"If you find that it doesn't suit you, you can always come and work with us full-time," Oliver declared easily. "All the boys except for Wayne work for Queen Industries in one way or the other."

"I run my own business," Diana supplied when Clark sent her a questioning look.

"Please, like he's going to leave Atlantis once he settles in," Victor snorted in amusement. "You seem to forget just how tight he and Watchtower were before he left for training."

"I don't blame him either," Bart declared. "I'd kill to work side by side all day long with Chloelicious too."

"Lucy is _right there_." Oliver pointed to his sister-in-law, who sat on Bart's other side.

"Oh, I don't mind." Lucy Lane had grown up, and apparently was still embedded in the criminal work, but was somehow good friends with the League. Clark wasn't sure exactly how that'd happened or how it worked. Or why they trusted her. "I think the fact that he has a crush on her is cute. Especially since we all know he doesn't have a snowball's chance in hell."

"You injure me, Lucia Mi Vida," Bart declared, hand to his heart in mock agony. "I don't know how I'll ever survive this."

"Oh, does that mean you're not going to finish your chicken?" Lucy asked, raising her fork to snatch it from his plate.

In seconds Bart superspeeded away, plate safely in his hands. "Then again, I'm very resilient!"

Lucy, and everyone else, laughed at him.

Clark smiled and turned to tease Chloe when he remembered she wasn't seated next to him. His smile slipped somewhat as he wondered what exactly she was doing at that moment. She was missing out on a good night. He'd have to fill her in on it tomorrow.

Like he'd been doing all night, Clark checked in on her in the only way he could without tipping off everyone. He listened for her heartbeat.

And then he froze.

Unlike the multiple times he'd checked in on her, her heartbeat wasn't calm, it was racing. He fixed his hearing on her heart, concentrated like he'd been taught, on her and only her, and within seconds he could hear her labored breaths, the fear in her tone when she whispered: " _Bruce, we need to call for help._ "

He hadn't even realized he was standing until someone grabbed his arm.

It was Victor, eyes narrowed. "What's wrong with her?"

How had Victor known that Clark's standing up so suddenly his chair fell back had to do with Chloe?

"She's in trouble. Something's happened." Clark could feel desperation and fear welling up in his body.

"So he has the ability to see what's going on around him?" Lucy asked. Apparently she knew most of the people there had abilities, and had figured Clark did as well.

Lois ignored her sister and turned to Oliver. "I'll Watchtower this time. Victor-."

"I'm already on it," Victor declared as he hurried out of the room.

Clark knew he should wait on the team, but he'd already superspeeded before even realizing what he was doing. He'd followed Chloe's racing heartbeat like a beacon, and found himself behind a pillar, watching as a group of masked men had those from the charity hostage at gunpoint.

His gaze found Chloe immediately, and he gulped.

She looked beautiful and fragile, terribly pale as she stood within Bruce Wayne's arms. She clung to him, looking somewhat pained, and leaned into him, obviously seeking comfort… comfort which the billionaire happily supplied as his arms encircled her tightly, protectively. There was a dark glint in his eyes as he stood positioned so that his body shielded most of hers from the stares of their captors, and those dark eyes were clearly assessing the situation and planning a way of not only getting the hostages to safety, but capturing the bad guys.

It was only when Bruce shifted that Clark noticed the bruise on Chloe's cheek. Someone had clearly backhanded her.

Clark hadn't meant for it to happen. He hadn't even _known_ it was happening until after the fact. It was only when the clothes of the men holding them hostage _caught on fire_ and the men began to duck and roll that he realized that beams of red had shot out viciously in retaliation. He took in a deep breath and blew a gust out towards them, managing to blow out the flames like one might a candle. It was all that was needed for Bruce and other men to get involved and turn the tides on their captors.

All throughout the chaos, Chloe's gaze searched around her desperately, and somehow her greens found Clark's blues. And she smiled. She smiled so beautifully despite the bruise on her cheek and the chaos around her.

In seconds Clark grabbed her and was out of there, depositing her safely in her home in the Clocktower. "They hit you." He raised his hand to softly cup her injured cheek.

"I talked back, they don't like that." She leaned into the touch. "How did you know?"

"Your heartbeat was racing in fear."

She stared up at him. "You were listening to my heartbeat?"

He flushed and pulled away. "I, uh, I should go and help… you go to bed!" He then disappeared and reappeared with a confused and amused Lucy Lane. "Take care of her."

"So… psychic and fast." Lucy took in all in stride. "Are you faster than Bart?" She then actually caught a glimpse of her cousin and her eyes widened in horror. "Did someone _hit_ you?" Her tone was murderous.

Assured that Chloe was left in good(ish) hands, Clark superspeeded back.

-V-v-V-

"How is she?" Those were the first words that Bruce Wayne said to Clark as they dealt with the aftermath of the attack.

He'd kept an open channel to her heartbeat, and it was calm once more, had been for a while now. "Fine. Resting at home with Lucy."

Bruce nodded. "If I had known that the local crime lord would-."

"You shouldn't have brought her," Clark interrupted, unable to stop himself. "She's pregnant, very so. You shouldn't have put her or the baby in danger like this."

Bruce Wayne raised an eyebrow. "She was in the best of comfort, and these events are good for Atlantis, are good-."

"I don't care." Clark didn't like Bruce Wayne, and he knew that a part of it was childish jealousy. He'd always had Chloe, a hundred per cent, and he'd _never_ liked _anyone_ she'd dated or gotten close to. It was wrong, but it was the truth. "I don't think AC would've allowed you to pull what you just did had he been alive, and now that I'm here I won't either."

"Don't you dare insinuate that I don't care about Chloe or her wellbeing." There was a calmness in Bruce's voice that belied the dark burning in his eyes. "You've been gone for five years, I've been here all that time, I care about her."

It was Clark this time who spoke calmly despite the fire burning in the pit of his stomach. "Well, I'm back now, and I'm going to make sure that she's properly cared for from now on and not dragged into dangerous situations."

Bruce laughed. "You obviously don't know Chloe if you think you can keep her from danger."

"I mightn't be able to keep her from it, but I'll protect her from it," he promised softly. "Her _and_ the kid."

"AJ," Bruce corrected. "The 'kid' has a name - AJ."

"I know that."

"Do you?" Bruce narrowed his eyes. "I don't know how things were when you were here, but things change, Clark. That's life. People and situations change. We aren't frozen in time. But you don't seem to get that." He stepped closer. "Maybe you need to accept the fact that she's not the girl you left when you went to _train_."

He _knew_ Chloe wasn't the same person. It was painfully obvious. Nothing about his life was the same as it'd been when he'd left. He'd been able to somehow accept the other changes, but he hadn't with Chloe. He'd admitted that to himself. But he wasn't trying to make Chloe be the person she'd once been, he was trying to adapt to her new world and circumstances.

"Look," Bruce sighed, all animosity suddenly gone. "She'd be the first one to slap us both up if she could see us now." He really _did_ know Chloe, huh? "I'm just glad that she is okay." He took in a deep breath and held out his hand. "Thank you for coming to help when you did."

"She was in trouble, I'll always come to help." And yet Clark took that hand and shook it, not sure why things weren't hostile between them anymore.

"Good, because she's always getting in trouble and needs a whole league to get her out of it," Bruce chuckled.

Clark still didn't like Bruce Wayne, but he figured he could come to appreciate him, he supposed. If anything, this was someone who cared about Chloe, genuinely, and because of that Clark couldn't ever truly dislike him. Not completely, at least. "She does. She really does."

-V-v-V-

When he got back, Chloe was sleeping.

"I gave her something to make her sleep, she wanted to go be Watchtower and she was too agitated for her own good," Lucy declared as she rose from the sofa. "She should be fine now." She tilted her head to the side. "Everything alright?"

He nodded, not too sure how happy he was with Lucy Lane knowing about him, but there was nothing he could do about that now.

"Bart okay?"

He nodded once more.

"Good," she sighed in relief. "I've been trying to call him but he isn't answering."

As if summoned, her hair blew with a gust of wind and Bart Allen stood there. "How's Chloelicious? Someone said she got hit?"

"She's fine, sleeping," Lucy answered. "We should go and leave her to rest."

Bart hesitated before he nodded, saluted Clark, picked up Lucy bridal style, and then with a gust of wind was gone.

Clark gazed towards the room before he slipped towards it. He felt odd, sneaking into Chloe's room, but he needed to know that she was okay with his own two eyes.

Sure enough, snoring softly, with a leg looped over a body pillow (which she hugged tightly) was Chloe Sullivan-Curry. She was fast asleep, whatever Lucy had given her had worked wonders. She looked peaceful, except for the mark darkening on her cheek.

He clenched his fist at the sight of it before he slipped out from the room and went to sit on the couch. He answered Lois' call when she rang to let him know that she'd come over to spend the night, and he told her not to bother, he wouldn't leave. He promised Lois he'd tell her if anything else happened, and felt a little clenching in his chest when she whispered how relieved she was that he was back, before she hung up.

Lois knew what Clark did: Chloe didn't have anyone taking care of her – because she wasn't allowing herself to be taken care of – and it wasn't right.

Someone needed to take care of her, and unlike Lois, he didn't have a child and family of his own to worry about. And anyway, Clark wouldn't have it any other way, especially not after tonight.

He was going to take care of Chloe – whether she wanted him to or not.

For the first time since he'd come back, Clark felt like he had a purpose.

-V-v-V-

 **END of PART ONE**


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: Don't own Smallville**

* * *

 **-V-v-V-**

 **PART TWO**

 **-V-v-V-**

 _"Is Aunt Chloe going to pop?" Lewis wanted to know, clearly worried as he gazed up from his plate. "She's so huge."_

 _Clark choked on his glass of juice and couldn't quite the laugh on his lips as he turned to his younger brother._

 _Jonathan and Lana both shared looks before Lana cleared her throat and answered. "Honey, we've already explained that there's a little boy growing inside of her, and when it's time for him to be born he'll just… slide out."_

 _"Exactly," Jon declared with a bit of a superior attitude. "Aunt Chloe has a slide inside of her and he'll use it to get out."_

 _Lewis blinked and turned to Lana. "Do all girls have slides?"_

 _Clark was evilly amused at the terribly uncomfortable expression on both his father's and Lana's faces. They obviously hadn't had the sex talk with the twins, and yet the questions the boys kept asking made it obvious that the talk would have to happen, soon. Otherwise all of their "explanations" really would confuse the boys even more._

 _Lana not so subtly kicked Jonathan's shin under the table._

 _Jonathan gave a jump and took a moment to clean his glasses, probably giving himself time to stall and think his answer through. "It's, uh, not a slide per se… boys." He cleared his throat. "It's just something that girls can do that boys can't. It's-it's a question for when you are older."_

 _Which, of course, was the wrong thing to say because both boys vehemently protested that they were old enough to know these things._

 _Clark leaned back and snickered at his father and Lana, who both caught him and gave him: 'Don't be evil' looks._

 _It was surprising how things were calming down and becoming normal in the Kent household. Things weren't a hundred per cent okay or comfortable, but they were getting there._

 _Chloe's heartbeat jumped._

 _Clark frowned as he sat up straighter and fully concentrated on her. She was supposed to be over at Oliver and Lois' for the night, so really, anything Lois said or did could be the cause for the change, and yet…_

 _Chloe's breath hitched in fear two seconds before Clark's phone began to ring. It was Lois._

 _"Smallville, it's time!" Was all Lois said before she hung up._

 _That was all needed, really._

 _Things had gone into a panic. Clark had barely managed to go outside and away from his brothers' eyes before superspeeding to Oliver and Lois' house as they loaded Chloe into their car. He'd taken the drive with them (complaining on how they should go faster) and had been there during the whole labor._

 _He'd been the first to see AJ, the first to hold him as Chloe slept._

 _He'd gazed down at that child while holding him in his arms, and he'd wondered how he could've ever fooled himself into believing that he could live life watching everyone else having children and not having any himself._

 _Holding AJ in his arms, and watching Chloe sleep, the truth hit Clark extremely hard._

 _He wanted a family._

…

"Whatcha thinking?" Chloe's voice broke into Clark's thoughts as she appeared, eight month old AJ in her arms.

Clark looked up from the research he was supposed to be doing about LuthorCorp dumping toxic material into a lake in New England which had turned all the marine life sterile. "I was actually thinking about the night AJ was born."

Chloe smiled, beamed actually, and pressed a kiss to her son's rosy cheeks. He was blonde, like his parents, and had his father's eyes. The kid was spoiled rotten, and Clark had done most of the spoiling. "That night was all a blur of pain for me – and then it was happiness unlike anything I'd ever felt before." For a moment her expression went sad, and Clark knew what she was thinking.

She was sad that AC wasn't here, that he hadn't lived to see his son's birth.

Clark was sad too. AC had died not even knowing that his wife was pregnant, that his firstborn on the way. That was tragic.

While at first the thought of Chloe marrying AC had been a complete mystery to him, Clark had come to understand how they could've gotten together. Plus, he hadn't been extremely close to AC, but he'd gone on missions with him and knew that he'd been a good man. And from all accounts, and from the pictures, and from the way Chloe had grown because of it – Clark knew that AC had truly loved Chloe and had made her extremely happy. In the end, that was all he could've ever asked for when it came to his best friend.

And yet a part of him selfishly wondered if he would've been able to accept it so easily now if AC was still alive. It sounded horrible, but it was a question he was asking himself time and time again, especially after AJ's birth. Had AC been alive things would've been drastically different. For one, Clark wouldn't have been able to spend the time he was spending with Chloe. She'd be busy working, as well as being a wife and mother. He'd probably be able to see her as much as he saw Ollie, and the thought of that happening was stifling. Something inside of him cringed at the thought of not being able to spend every single day with her – not being able to see her whenever he wanted – call her whenever he wanted – come over whenever he wanted – sleep over in the guest room whenever he wanted.

"Are you okay?" Chloe's smile dropped. "You look in pain."

Clark took in a deep breath and forced a smile on his face. "I just have a bit of a headache."

"AJ and I will get you some pain meds, won't we AJ?" Chloe walked away, pressing kisses to her son's rosy cheeks.

Clark watched them go, and smiled.

...

"I don't think so," Chloe declared as she hugged AJ closer, as if to protect herself.

"Why not?" Clark wanted to know, eyeing the dress. "I think it suits you."

She snorted. "Have you _seen_ me since I gave birth?"

"Yeah." He didn't see the issue. She'd gotten curvier. He thought girls liked curves. Guys sure as hell did.

She merely glared at him. "That sort of dress wouldn't look good on me."

Clark eyed her. "You promised Lois we'd go with her and Oliver. I went and bought a suit. You forced me to buy a suit. Now I'm forcing you to buy a dress." He reached over and freed AJ from her hold. "Wouldn't mommy look good in the dress?"

AJ laughed and patted Clark's cheek.

Clark grinned and turned to Chloe. "See? Even he agrees!"

Chloe glared at the both of them (the corner of her lips twitching in betrayal of a smile), and then she was off to find someone to help her get the dress in her size to try on.

" _Women_ ," a voice declared behind Clark, and he turned to see an elderly gentleman staying there. "They look pretty as a picture but never seem to see it."

He had to agree. "Are you waiting on someone?"

"My wife," the man declared. "We're having our golden anniversary and the kids are throwing us this fancy party." He grinned, visibly pleased. "She swears she's old and passed her prime, but she's still as beautiful as the day I first met her."

Clark wanted what this old man had. He wanted that love and contentment. He wanted a family of his own. He wanted… he wanted…

Clark looked in the direction Chloe had disappeared to.

"She's not like your missus, mine's tall and a redhead, what a fiery woman; hardheaded and a devil. Boy do I love her."

Clark returned his attention back to the man, eyes wide. "She's not my wife."

The old man nodded. "My youngest son never married his girl either, but they're every bit the family, even without the paper." He leaned in closer. "I come from older times, where you find a girl and marry her so no one else has the chance to take her away from you, but I understand that things change with generations." He paused. "And paper or not, there's no hiding the love you feel for her and for your boy – or the love they feel for you."

Clark opened his mouth to correct the old man.

"Paper or not, where there's love, there's family."

His words caught in his throat.

The old man's cell rung. "Excuse me, it's one of my kids." He answered it and slipped out of the shop.

Clark watched him go.

AJ leaned with his head against Clark's heart and let out a contented sigh.

Clark pressed a kiss to the top of that golden head and let out a sigh of his own.

...

"I thought I'd gotten a breakthrough, but I hit a wall instead." Chloe wasn't looking away from the screens. "I mean, I _have_ been able to determine that you are physically compatible with human females. Your sperm can definitely fertilize the egg. But I'm drawing a blank when it comes to how exactly the fetus will develop, and how much of you will show up in it while it's in gestation." She sighed. "The one thing though that I believe shows a lot of hope is that you didn't start showing your powers until you hit puberty. That means that your child could be the same way – he or she could be like any normal child until they reach puberty. And if that's so, that means you could safely have children with someone."

"But there's also the chance that he'll kick so hard he'll break ribs or just break through his mother's stomach," Clark insisted.

"Well, yes…" Chloe cleared her throat. "But it seems more and more probable that that won't happen. I just can't test anything _positively_. Not with the samples… not with the simulations… Not yet, at least." She turned around and slapped his chest. "So you'll have to entrust your hardy swimmers to me for at least a little bit longer."

Clark nodded wordlessly, unable, as always, to vocalize anything whenever she referred so nonchalantly to his… uh… swimmers.

She must've taken his silence for something else, because she sighed and hugged him around his waist. "Clark, if anyone deserves to be a father, it's you." She rested her cheek against his heart. "When I look at you with AJ I know that you're meant to be a father and have children of your own."

He cleared his throat and slowly brought his arms around her.

Chloe tilted her head up to gaze at him. "We'll figure this out together, okay?"

Staring down at her, Clark felt like he couldn't breathe… but he liked the feeling.

...

Maera had been eyeing him oddly for the past couple of days, and while Clark had gotten to know her well enough to know that the woman got into moods, he was beginning to get somewhat uneasy with how much she looked at him. He didn't want to be that guy who was full of himself and thought everyone was attracted to him, but he begged the stars that that wasn't what was going on here. The woman was gorgeous, and he liked how she bullied Chloe into taking care of herself, but he was _so_ not into her.

"I'm off!" Chloe breezed passed them, wearing something completely different than she'd been wearing twenty minutes ago. It was airy and yellow and seriously cute.

The sight of the dress left Clark speechless for a second before he rapidly got to his feet and moved to peek through the doorway of his translucent office, eyes on Chloe as she headed towards the door. "Where's the fire?"

She stopped and turned to him with a laugh. "No fire. I've just got this thing I have to get to."

Maera cleared her throat. "Remind Mr Wayne about that fifty he owes me."

Clark's smile faded.

Chloe winked at Maera. "Will do. You won that fair and square." With that, and one last wave, she was gone.

Clark leaned against the doorway and watched the front door despite the fact that she wasn't there anymore. "They do that a lot, huh? Have _coffee_."

"Whenever Mr Wayne is in town, yeah." Maera continued typing before she paused and looked up. "They suit each other."

Clark gave a half shrug. He'd heard so many different people saying the same thing, but he just didn't see it. "I don't know. I don't think he's her type."

"They dated," Maera pointed out helpfully, which should've clued him in on the fact that something had to be wrong.

"And they broke up," which Clark found himself using more and more lately as a good example as to why Bruce Wayne wasn't suitable for Chloe. "Obviously they aren't compatible romantically."

Maera snorted loudly and highly unladylikely. "They're compatible sexually. Who the hell cares about romantically?"

Clark finally shifted his narrowed gaze from the floor to Maera. "Are you saying they're sleeping together?"

Maera's expression was utter innocence. "I'm not saying anything." When he looked away, she added: "I don't gossip."

Clark looked back at her quickly. "Is there something to gossip about?"

In lieu of answering, Maera began to file her nails.

Clark narrowed his eyes on her, wishing he had telepathy instead of x-ray vision, because she obviously knew something but wouldn't tell him. "They're not sleeping together." They couldn't be. Chloe wouldn't mentioned something to him, wouldn't she?

Then again, he wasn't too sure that she would've.

He frowned and gazed back at the door once more. Damn it, he should've gotten some information out of her before she left! What if she _was_ sleeping with Bruce? She was emotionally vulnerable still, and Clark didn't know Bruce enough to guess with any accuracy whether the billionaire would take advantage of that fact.

Bruce Wayne wasn't good for Chloe, or AJ. Not in a romantic/fatherly way. They needed someone else in their lives.

Firstly, they needed someone local, someone who could be there at the first sign of trouble. Someone who was close by.

Now that he was on the subject, Clark thought about what else they needed in their lives, and he knew right away that Chloe and AJ needed someone who would not only love her, but love AJ as much as if he was his own kid. They needed someone who'd never change his feelings for AJ, would never love him less even if he and Chloe had kids of their own.

Also, someone with a super power would be best. Bruce Wayne might be a "super hero" but his "super" came from gadgets. He'd never be able to understand, or give AJ the support and guidance that he'd need when he came into his powers.

Bruce Wayne was _not_ the guy for Chloe. He just wasn't.

Annoyed that no one else seemed to be able to see that, Clark returned to his office.

 **-V-v-V-**

 **TBC**


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: Don't own Smallville**

* * *

"How's it going?" Chloe asked Clark as she watched Lana and Jonathan gushing over AJ while the twins played video games with Connor, who despite being younger than them, was pretty much beating their butts. Then again, Lois was a videogame fanatic and spent most of her "quality time" with her son teaching him every illegal move in every game she loved –so it made sense.

"How's what going?" Clark asked, a smile on his face as they sat on the love seat together, his gaze on his father, who was making cooing noises to AJ and laughing. Lana smiled and whispered something in his father's ears that had him turning red. Then again, Clark had overheard (unintentionally) Lana telling his father she thought it was time to have another kid, so this whisper was probably something on that same vein.

"Everything." Chloe watched Jonathan and Lana too. "I know it's got to be hard for you."

He blinked in surprise and turned to look at her, only then noticing the slight pinch in her features as guilt played in her eyes.

"They're happy together, I know it, I wouldn't have done what I had if – but it was _wrong_ to you. I betrayed you," she sighed and ran fingers through golden locks. "I've made your homecoming that much harder." She turned to look up at him. "I know I can never say I'm sorry enough, but-."

"Don't say it." He reached out and pressed his finger to her lips, a little shocked at the jolt that raced through him at the touch. "What's done is done, and as you've said: they're happy." He slipped his finger from her lips and turned to look at his father and Lana. "It isn't _ideal_ , but I love them both, and if they're both happy I can't really hope for more for them, can I?"

Chloe sighed. "You're so good, Clark. It makes me feel more evil." She rested her forehead against his arm.

He snorted and, after a few minutes, rearranged them so that his arm was around her shoulders and she was rested against his chest. It was more comfortable this way.

"Do you still think that this is a Bizarro World?" Chloe asked softly.

Clark shifted and rested his cheek against the top of her head. "Sometimes."

She sighed.

"But even then I don't mind too much."

She went still and then pushed away to look up at him curiously. "How so?"

"It's not all bad." He gazed down at her with a small smile. "You're still here, aren't you?"

Chloe looked up at him and gulped, and then she smiled and curled in tighter around him.

Clark smiled at her warmth and pulled her in closer, returning to resting his cheek against the top of her head as they watched his father and stepmother playing with AJ.

* * *

"It's _fine_ Lois." Chloe sent him an expression that clearly said she wanted to roll her eyes but was too mature to do so. "You and Ollie spend the extra night. Connor's fine here with us. Anyway, I barely have time to babysit for you guys anymore so just take the opportunity when I can!"

Chloe had been babysitting Oliver and Lois' son for the weekend, and Clark had gotten to know the little boy who thankfully was much more like Oliver than Lois (in Clark's books, at least). He already had an affinity for the bow and arrow, then again, Clark had seen Connor's room, it was and ode to Robin Hood. Oliver _might_ have had something to do with Connor's love of bows and arrows.

"Connor!" Chloe called out to the boy drawing on the floor. "Your mom wants to speak to you."

Connor's eyes lit up and he hurried to take the phone from Chloe. " _Mommy_!"

Chloe rubbed the boy's head playfully and collapsed on the sofa next to Clark with a groan. "I'm so _tired_."

Clark eyed her as he bounced an ecstatic AJ on his knee. "Why don't you go to rest? I'll keep these two busy and tire them out."

"It wouldn't be fair to you." And yet her voice was soft in sleep.

" _Go_ ," he urged. "I'm not sleepy in the least bit. It makes no sense for you to fall asleep on the couch when you could be in bed."

"You're right, like always." She let out a groan. "Thanks Clark." Chloe yawned and then leaned over and pressed a kiss to AJ's cheek before she did the same to his. "You're a godsend." She stood and yawned. "What would I do without you?"

Clark watched her go, and only after the door had closed behind her did he bring a hand up to his cheek, which was warm and tingly. His chest clenched tightly, and he let out a breath, instinctively switching on his x-ray vision enough to see through the wall to where Chloe collapsed tiredly on top of the sheets of her bed. She was going to end up falling asleep on top of the covers again and he'd have to go and tuck her in.

He sighed with a small smile. She really needed someone around constantly to take care of her. As it was, Clark was spending more time sleeping in his room in her place, then in his room at his father's home. In fact, Clark was sure he had more of his things at the Clocktower than he did at the Kent Farm. He didn't feel like he was imposing because he knew that (a) Chloe loved his company, and (b) Chloe needed his company.

She needed him so they could go over different things in Atlantis' magazine. They both worked late into the night and he helped her come up with ideas while she helped him.

She needed him to help with AJ during the night, because there was no way she could be the sole person getting up multiple times of night to feed him and actually function like a normal human being during the day.

She needed him to help with AJ during the day, because while AJ spent the mornings with Connor and his nanny, he was with them in the afternoons and Clark knew she needed some time to herself for certain issues (and he didn't trust Maera with a baby – then again he hadn't trusted Lois with one either and that had turned out well – but why risk it?) so AJ bounced around from one office to the other, enjoying himself quite loudly in his permanent play area in both offices.

She needed him to keep an eye on her to make sure she wasn't working too hard or too long. She needed him to make sure she remembered that she did not survive on coffee alone – especially considering that she was breastfeeding. She needed him to cook in the evenings because she was incredibly bad at it. She needed him to make sure she got off her feet. She needed him to make sure she didn't kick off the sheets during the beginning of the night and end up freezing the rest of the night because she didn't wake up once it got cold.

She wasn't the only one who needed him – AJ did as well.

AJ needed him to bounce on his knee in the way that delighted him, and the kid always begged for it – didn't like it quite as much when anyone else tried it.

AJ needed him to slip in some of the "good stuff" when it came to baby foods, and not just the _really healthy_ things that Chloe insisted on feeding him.

AJ needed him to take him to the park, which Clark had started doing three or so months ago, and push him on the swing, because Chloe was too nervous to push him as far and as high as Clark did and AJ loved it.

AJ needed him, or would need him in a couple of years, to help convince Chloe that there was space in the apartment for a dog. Clark had seen the way the kid eyed Shelby, and knew that once older he'd want one for his own – and it would take the both of them to convince Chloe to give in.

AJ needed him for a lot of things, as did Chloe, and Clark was only too happy to give them to them.

"No mommy," Connor declared dutifully into the phone. "I didn't set anything on fire today. I promise."

Clark raised an eyebrow at that.

"Yes mommy," Connor continued to speak like the dutiful son. "Fire is bad."

Oh god, that kid was more like Lois than Clark had realized.

AJ waved his arms around, obviously unhappy that Clark had stopped bouncing him on his knee.

Clark went right back to it.

"No, she's sleeping now," Connor reported. "Unca Smallville-."

Clark never heard what Connor was saying about "Uncle Smallville" because AJ took that moment to reach his hands out to Clark and squeal out: " _Daddy!_ "

Clark went into a mini catatonic state right around then.

Wasn't this too young for kids to start talking?

And yet, that wasn't exactly the reason why he'd stopped bouncing AJ and merely stared at the happy kid.

No, the reason was because his heart hurt, and he wanted to cry.

* * *

A part of Clark was beginning to suspect he must've hallucinated AJ calling him "daddy" because the kid didn't do it again and didn't seem about to speak a word, but the damage had already been done. Imaginary or not, being called that by the kid had done something to Clark, and it was something that couldn't be undone.

"Okay, so I've used my biometrics to run the diagnostics," Chloe declared as she typed information into the system. "Granted, my body's different from normal women considering my healing ability, it should give us a clearer picture of what we could expect given our DNA."

Clark stood next to her, more nervous than he'd been in a long while.

"Fingers crossed!" Chloe lifted a hand, crossed the fingers of that hand, and with her other hand pressed **ENTER**.

The simulation appeared on the hologram screens around them of a womb – Chloe's womb. At first there was nothing, but then ovulation was simulated, and then, within a minute, the "swimmers" were on the scene. Clark watched as fertilization took place, and then… the egg changed color.

"Conception!" Chloe grinned. "You're definitely biologically compatible with earthling women."

Clark grinned back at her but returned his gaze to the screen, amazed as the simulation swiftly took them through the first trimester of pregnancy. It was awe-inducing to see just how realistic the holographic, 3-D rendering was.

"First trimester passed without a problem." Chloe was beaming. "There were no signs that a miscarriage was an issue."

"Is it usually?" He wanted to know.

"It isn't unheard of in the first trimester," Chloe explained as the simulation went into the second trimester, the child growing larger, more defined.

Clark moved closer to the hologram, his eyes wide, his lips parted. When the baby kicked it didn't break through the virtual womb.

Chloe stood and came to wait next to him, watching as the second trimester passed safely as well. "Here's the last one."

The baby was much larger now, its eyelashes grown, as were its fingernails. It sucked on its thumb, positioned downwards in the womb, readying for birth. It grew and grew, as did the womb, and even though it moved and kicked and shifted there were noted bruises, but nothing grave.

And then… the water broke and a birth was simulated.

Chloe nudged her shoulder into his, a large grin on her face. "We just had a healthy baby girl, Clark."

He turned to look at her, voice caught in her throat.

"Of course it's not a hundred per cent accurate despite how advanced the formula and calculations are based on your DNA and my DNA sequence, but it's fairly accurate." Chloe didn't seem to notice the way he stared at her in utter silence. "I want to use Maera's DNA when she comes back from her vacation with Victor. Sure, she's metahuman as well, but her power isn't to heal, so I think that it's a good test. I've also gotten Lucy to agree, and she's a hundred per cent human, so I'll be running the diagnostics a couple of times, seeing how the simulation changes considering the parentage of the mother." She grinned, utterly proud of herself. "But it really looks like daddyhood is in your future. I mean, look at our daughter. She was perfect."

Something clenched around Clark's heart once more. "Yeah, she was."

Chloe beamed at him.

He could only smile softly back at her.

* * *

The results with Maera's DNA proved positive, as well as Lucy's, although they'd suffered a harder virtual pregnancy than Chloe. All in all though, it proved what Chloe had been telling him all along – he was compatible with Terran women, and they would be able to carry a child to term. That changed everything. Clark had never allowed himself to dream about being a father, about starting a family of his own, and now that he knew that all signs pointed to him being able to do so it was as if the world had opened up to him.

"Don't be such a snob, Smallville." Lois was far too amused as she looked up from the app she'd installed in his phone when he'd been in the bathroom. "People make lasting connections through this."

He fixed a glare on her. Just because he'd been away for a couple of years didn't mean that he didn't know what Tinder was or how it worked. "I am not using this."

"Aw, come on! Everyone uses it!" She paused. "Other than me, of course." She paused. "Except for that one time I was investigating the Tinder Murders and went undercover as Louisa." She paused. "Bart came up with the name." She shook her head. "Nevermind that." She grinned. "You've been out of commission too long. Your last conquest is now your step mother. I'm sure your ego and manhood took a big hit. And what's the best way to get over someone? Get under someone else! And there are _many_ someone elses in Tinder!"

Clark turned to look at Chloe, silently begging her to reign her cousin in.

Chloe must've felt his gaze on her, because she looked up from where she was going over some stacks of paper. She glanced between Lois and Clark and then smiled, obviously amused with the whole situation. "I think you should do it."

Clark was floored. He almost dropped his phone with how shocked he was. And not only that, he felt hurt, and he wasn't sure exactly _why_. "You do?"

" _Why not_?" Chloe asked. "It's not like you can catch our STDs, we've already proven that with our tests." She slipped the pen she was holding behind her ear. "Lois is right, you haven't gone out on a date with anyone since Lana. This mightn't be _conventional_ , but it seems to work for people."

"It's how Victor and Maera met," Lois added.

Clark blinked in shock at that new bit of info. "Victor was on _Tinder_?"

"Of _course_ not. Can you _honestly_ see _Victor_ on Tinder?" Lois rolled her eyes. "He was keeping an eye on it while I was Louisa, and he liked Maera's profile. I'm not exactly sure the details of what happened afterwards, but they met and got together and she started working for Chloe."

Clark filed that in the "interesting" pile.

"No one's saying you'll find your soulmate on Tinder, but who knows? You might find someone fun to spend time with." Chloe's gaze lowered to the papers. "God knows I eat up all of your time and its unfair." She removed her pen from behind her ear and began to concentrate on her work again. "You definitely should try it, even if only for a couple of times."

"Exactly!" Lois slapped his shoulder. "Who knows, you might find the one for you with just one right swipe!"

Clark gazed in Chloe's direction, the blonde completely distracted and not paying any attention to them anymore.

It was all he could do to keep from crushing his phone in his hand.

* * *

"Tinder?" Lana's voice was like bottle of ice-cold water being thrown on his head. "I never took you for a Tinder kind of guy."

Clark put the phone down quickly, feeling like kid whose mother had caught him watching the Playboy channel. "I'm not actually—I mean—I've only left swiped the pictures I've seen."

Lana eyed him curiously before she opened the fridge and pulled out a cooled jar of homemade lemonade. "What exactly does that mean?"

He hated that he knew what that meant. "It means I don't _like_ them, I think. Swiping right means I do and means I can talk to them if they like me back." He hurriedly continued. "And it's not a casual hookup app, not anymore at least. It's more of a dating app now."

There was a hint of amusement in Lana's eyes as she poured them both a glass and returned the jar to the fridge. "Let me guess: Lois."

He groaned and lowered his forehead to the surface of the table. "Yeah."

She giggled in amusement. "I knew it. No way would anyone else put you up to Tinder." She sat down and took a sip of the lemonade, eyes on him, before she finally asked: "What does Chloe think about this?"

Clark looked up at that, feeling that unease, that unhappiness, seep into him. "She thinks I should do it."

" _Really_?" Lana looked shocked. "She said that?"

"Yeah, and that she was taking up all of my time so it would be good for me." A muscle jumped in Clark's cheek, not sure why that bothered him so much - or why the thought that Chloe being all-too happy to push him towards girls who were DTF made him all sorts of conflicted.

Lana hesitated for a second before she reached out and grasped his hand, surprising him out of his dark feelings. "I know it isn't my place, but can I say something, Clark?"

He nodded.

She paused, trying to get the right words, before she spoke. "Don't let anyone push you into something you're not ready for." She smiled tenderly. "If you're happy spending all your time with Chloe and AJ, if you're happiest with them, then be happy with them."

Clark felt like Lana was trying to tell him something, but he couldn't exactly figure what. Still, he felt like she was supporting him, and he appreciated that.

Squeezing her hand, Clark nodded and smiled. "Thanks Lana."

Lana smiled and pulled away. "You're welcome, Clark." With that she stood and, grabbing her glass, left the room while humming happily to herself.

Clark took a sip of his own glass as he eyed his phone and continued to left swipe before he finally sighed and closed the app, deleting it.

Lana was right. If he was happy the way he was why should he change it just because others were trying to push him into it?

Feeling better than he had since Lois had started this whole stupid ordeal, Clark decided to go to Metropolis and see what Chloe and AJ were up to.

* * *

 **TBC**


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: Don't own Smallville**

 **...**

Clark _was not_ spying on Chloe's date.

Okay. Sure. Technically he was 'keeping an eye' on the situation, but it wasn't out of curiosity as to what would happen or anything like that. No. Chloe had been getting death threats lately and this was all in the name of keeping her safe and sound… even if she didn't realize what he was doing. What had honestly made him feel better was that once he'd gotten there he'd realized Maera was at the same strategically located position he'd chosen, and when he'd asked her what she was doing there she'd announced she was spying.

That meant Clark was keeping an eye out on Chloe, and on the spy, so really, he was doing everyone a favor here. It had nothing to do with the fact that Chloe's coffee dates with Bruce had become dinner dates. No. Chloe's dating life had nothing to do with him. If she wanted to try it again with Bruce despite it OBVIOUSLY not working out with him the first time (she'd married someone else for crying out loud! How much more - IT DOESN'T WORK - did she want?) that was her prerogative.

"So, why are you so interested in spying on this date?" Clark asked as Chloe and Bruce talked over the main course.

"What has Chloe told you about me?" Maera asked in return.

"Not much," he admitted. "She said that if I wanted to know more I should ask you myself."

She smirked. "What did you know about AC?"

This was an interesting question change. "He was a meta human who had water abilities. And he, uh, could talk to fish."

"It's a bit more than that, actually," Maera informed him dryly. "AC was the heir to Atlantis, which is where I come from. When we realized he was alive we came to urge him back home so he could become king, but he had no desire to rule Atlantis. He was married by that time. I stayed behind to convince him."

"Wait, Lois told me that you and Victor met through _Tinder_ ," Clark remembered, very confused.

"Chloe and AC knew about me but kept quiet because they knew I had an attitude problem back then… I thought all land walkers were basically monkeys. Victor really _did_ meet me through Tinder, and it's sort of how I 'came out' I suppose you could call it. And after AC died I forced my way into working for Chloe because how else was I supposed to protect Atlantis' future heir?"

Clark blinked. "AJ is a prince?"

"And Chloe's the Dowager Queen," Maera announced and made the whole thing even weirder.

"Then why haven't you tried to take them back to Atlantis?" Not that he wanted her to, but the question was definitely there.

"Atlantis is in unrest, it isn't safe for them there right now. Once AJ is older, an adult, and I have trained him in his powers, then yes, I will press for him to return to Atlantis." Maera proved right there that beneath that brash outside was a calculating and very patient inside. "Until then I will remain on land protecting both Chloe and AJ, and the work that we do here is helping my people. The waters have grown so contaminated of late that it's been killing the weaker of us. We're working to fix that. My people will benefit from my many years away from them, and that is what makes it worth it."

Clark stared at Maera in awe.

"Yes, I know, I'm awe-inspiring," she snarked before returning her gaze to where Chloe and Bruce were both eyeing something on the screen of his iPhone. "It's not an actual date, by the way."

"What?" Clark turned to her in surprise.

"It's a publicity thing," Maera replied after she rolled her eyes. "Wayne Enterprises has been getting some backlashes due to Bruce's public persona, so he's trying to calm it down. Chloe get added recognition and brand-promoting from this whole thing, since her and the company will be mentioned by those interested in Bruce's dating life, so she's agreed to do it. Plus, considering the public know that they dated back in the day their relationship would seem more believable."

"Oh." He took that in before his gaze went to Chloe and Bruce. "Why didn't she tell _me_?"

"How is it your business?" Maera wanted to know.

Clark opened his mouth and then closed it when he realized he really couldn't answer that. Chloe was a big girl who could decide who she wanted to date, it really _wasn't_ his business, and yet a part of him assured him that yes, it definitely _was_ his business… hadn't it _always_ been his business?

That question continued to plague him for the rest of the night.

 **...**

"Isn't it because you have feelings for her?"

Clark had been spending a lot of his free time with Diana lately, and it'd taken him a couple of days to muster up the courage to talk to her about the situation which had been bothering him of late. As an alien living amongst humans on a planet very far from her own, Diana was probably the only other person who could truly understand him.

"She's told me off in the past for being a big brother type around boyfriends, so I guess you're right," he mumbled unhappily from where he sat drinking coffee with her at the coffee shop Chloe had gotten him addicted to going. "But still, I mean—-."

"Oh, you misunderstand me," Diana interrupted him. "I mean: isn't it because you want to be the one to go on dates with her."

Clark looked up from his cup of coffee, wide-eyed and throat clogged. "Me? Go on a date? With Chloe? _Me_?"

Amusement colored Diana's eyes as she turned their bright blue hue on him. "Yes, you, Clark Kent, want to take her, Chloe Sullivan, on a date."

"I do not!" Okay, so maybe it would've been more convincing if his voice _hadn't_ broken at that very moment and left what he'd said too shrill and uneven to be convincing.

Diana's laugh was delightfully chime-like, and usually Clark liked the sound, but right now he pouted at it. "Come now, Clark. You truly cannot be denying the fact that you're in love with her!"

"She's my best friend. I love her. I just—-."

"Decided to work with her in her enterprise despite having many other options you could've pursued?"

"Five years have passed, it helped to be in a place with someone I knew I could trust."

"Spend as much time with her out of work as you do in work?"

"She's my _best friend_."

"Hover over her like a mother hen?"

"Have you spent two minutes with her? She's constantly getting herself into trouble"

Diana tilted her head as she eyed him curiously. Some odd expression covered her face for a moment before she took a long sip of her coffee, almost as if to give herself a couple of minutes silence. When she finally looked up at him, it was with that same look Lana had been giving him recently, which was a much nicer, more muted version of the looks Lois and Maera were giving him. He had no idea what in the world that look meant and was too wary of the women involved to ask them to explain.

"I'm not in love with her," Clark felt the need to reiterate. "I'm her best friend, and we're basically family. Plus, I'm AJ's godfather and they need someone to help them so it's my duty to be there."

"So you're always with them out of duty," Diana announced as if she'd suddenly gotten something.

"No." He quickly shot that down. "I _like_ being with them. It's the best part of my day."

Diana raised an eyebrow at him and took a long sip of her coffee.

"What?"

Her lips twitched. "You know, my home planet is made of pure women. I've never faced this sort of problem before. We're more in tune."

"With what?" His confusion was growing.

She merely took another sip of coffee.

"I'm not in love with Chloe."

Diana continued to drink her coffee.

"I'm not!"

 **...**

"She's not in love with him."

"Oh yes she is," Lois Lane countered, ever the contrarian, as she lounged on the chair in his office. "They used to go out together all the time, and it was hard on her when they broke up, and now they have a chance to be together again and give AJ a family. She's seizing the bull by the balls and—-."

"Horns," Clark corrected.

"—getting herself some of that sweet Wayne action!" Lois completely ignored him as she bulldozed on. "And not only is it a great move for her, but strategically speaking we could do _so much more_ with Wayne Enterprises and Atlantis joined together as allies."

"So basically you're marrying her off to Bruce Wayne for financial gain and stability?" He hadn't realized his grip on his pen was so tight until he heard it start to break.

"I'm marrying her off to him because he's got a great butt, and his face doesn't hurt either," Lois corrected in a sage tone. "But his megabucks don't hurt either." She smirked. "And if she's in love with him, that makes this all the better."

"But she's _not_ in love with him," Clark pointed out for what felt like the thousandth time.

"Says who?" Lois crossed her legs.

"Says me." Clark leaned forwards against the desk.

"Exactly." Lois made up her face. "So excuse me if I don't take _your_ word as law."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

Taking in a deep breath, Lois raised an eyebrow at him. "C'mon Smallville, if I want some insight of relationships, or anything romantic in particular, you and Chloe are probably the _last_ people I'd go to." She did not look at all apologetic for the insult. "Don't get me wrong, you both are brilliant in your own ways, but when it comes to romance you're the dumbest human beings who exist on this planet."

Okay, he was insulted by that.

"You pined after Lana for forever even though she had no idea you existed," Lois counted on her fingers, "you totally had no clue Chloe was in love with you, and then didn't realize when Lana returned your feelings. Chloe, on the other hand, never realized Pete was in love with her, or when you started having an inkling of a feeling for her - which she totally cut down after the tornado incident - she didn't notice a _lot_ of guys who liked her after you left either. Bruce was the first guy to get on her radar… and then AC came along and, well, AC was perfect."

At the silence that stretched, Clark fought his insult long enough to glance over at Lois, and that insult gave way to curiosity at the look on her face. Lois stared unseeingly ahead of her, seeming to have forgotten him and their conversation. She was clearly lost in thought as she twirled her wedding ring around her finger, and whatever she was thinking had her scrunching up her face. There was pain in her eyes, as well as pity and anger.

"You just don't understand, Smallville, you weren't there." Even her voice sounded distant, as if she were alive in whatever memory she was in, and her voice was a mere echo. "She was happy. I'd never seen her so confident and secure and content. I hate cliches, but AC completed her, he brought her alive, made her glow long before the pregnancy. I was so happy because I knew she would be protected and loved by a good man. She deserves a good man." Lois looked up at Clark and seemed very tired in that moment. "I just really want that for her again."

He opened his mouth to let Lois know he wanted Chloe happy too.

"I just can't imagine raising my son without Ollie there by my side," Lois admitted as she leaned back in the seat. "No one should have to go through that. Has she told you AJ's a prince? There are people in Atlantis who don't want him as their future ruler because he's part human. Those same people will stop at nothing to make sure that he doesn't come of age to take the throne… if he wants to. And even if he doesn't, they wouldn't want to allow him the chance to change his mind, or to father children who might decide to reclaim the throne - their birthright." She turned his attention back on Clark. "They attacked Chloe and AC when he was still alive, it's how they found out Maera and some other Atlantians were protecting them in secret."

Clark couldn't believe all that he hadn't known.

"Of course, we didn't find out any of this until Maera confided in Viktor. He told us and we were _furious_. Bruce and AC had a screaming match, their fight was so bad we were worried the League wasn't going to be able to handle the fallout."

Silence fell upon the duo.

"Bruce is a good match," Lois whispered as she returned to their previous debate. "He's been there for her in the past and he'll be there for her and AJ in the future. Even when they weren't together he was a constant, and he could help provide AJ with the structure and protection he's going to need. He can teach him—."

"Bruce doesn't understand having a special ability," Clark interrupted. "No amount of gadgets can compare."

"Then 'Uncle Clark' can step in and help in that direction." She pointed to him as if this should be obvious. "You can help in the areas that 'Daddy Bruce' can't."

"She isn't in love with him, Lois," Clark assured her.

Her hazel eyes turned away from him. "She could fall back in love with him, especially if it's what's best for her son." She took in a deep breath. "And especially if she knows she has your blessing."

His eyes narrowed on her. "Why would she—-?"

"Because she hasn't forgiven herself for what she did to you! For helping Lana and your father get together!" Lois glared at him before she seemed to realize she was mad with the wrong person, and calmed down with a groan. "She hasn't said anything but it's obvious. She pushed you towards Tinder. She tried hooking you up with Diana. Chloe's trying to right how she wronged you. She's trying to find someone for you to make up for taking Lana away from you forever. And until you're happy and settled down with someone she's not going to allow herself the chance to do the same!"

Clark stared at Lois and wondered if that was the case. Was _that_ why Chloe was pushing him to go on dates? Was she trying to 'right the wrong'? Would she really not allow herself to be in a relationship until she'd secured one _for him_?

"She's a big girl, Lois," he finally spoke. "Let her decide what to do with her own life."

Lois looked away and sighed deeply.

"Just like she can't force me to date, you can't force her," Clark announced. "I'll protect them."

"What happens when you finally find someone and settle down, Smallville?" Lois asked. "What if it's too late for her because she wasted all her time dedicated to you?"

Before he could answer there was a knock on the door, and Chloe peeked her head in. "Lois. Stop bugging him, he's working." She grinned. "Plus, I have to get your opinion on something."

In an instance Lois hid her worry and frustration behind a too-large smile. "That's what I'm here for! See you Smallville." And with that she hurried to Chloe.

Long after they'd gone, Clark remained looking at the door with a frown on his face.

 **...**

"Lois really needs to butt out of other people's business," Lana muttered around a spoon of ice cream later that night.

Clark couldn't believe that he was coming to Lana of all people to discuss this situation. Had he honestly gotten over her to this degree? And yet here was was, seated on a kitchen stool opposite hers, both of them stealing spoonfuls from the carton of ice cream on the island between them.

"She's always been too nosy for her own good," Lana continued to complain as she pointed that spoon at Clark. "Did you know her kid started another fire the other day? She needs to pay more attention to him and let Chloe be."

"Maybe she has a point though." It killed Clark to admit that. "Maybe Bruce is the best option for Chloe."

"If he were they wouldn't have broken up and she wouldn't have married someone else," Lana informed Clark sagely. "Those two are great as friends, but they want and need different things in life. Plus, Chloe would never be able to get used to what life as Chloe Wayne would give her. And she'd have to move to Gotham, which is probably the most dangerous city in the world. She's worried about AJ's safety _as is._ Chloe's a planner. There's no way she hasn't weighed all these options already."

Lana made many very good points, and for some reason Clark felt better already.

"Plus, she's got her job - and you - here," Lana added as she eyed the carton and how much they'd managed to eat already. "She's not going anywhere."

Clark scooped out another spoonful.

"Don't worry too much about this, Clark, don't overthink, especially when there's no reason to," Lana advised him. "Just let things happen. I can promise you Chloe and Bruce aren't really getting back together. This is all for PR and they plan on breaking up in a couple of weeks once they get what they need out of it."

"Has she told you this?" Clark didn't look up from his spoon.

"Yes," Lana confided. "Bruce needs the illusion of a girlfriend right now, I can't really tell you why, but he does, and as I said before, this is great PR for her. So they're doing each other a favor, plus, they're very good friends. They get to enjoy each other's company while scratching the other's back. It's a win-win."

Clark made a face at the thought of Chloe and Bruce scratching each other's back.

Lana giggled and lowered her gaze to the carton.

The alien wondered what she found so funny, but was too wary too ask.

 **...**

 **TBC**


End file.
